It’s been 20 days since the latest Arizona license-plate display requirements went into effect, but there are still many Valley drivers who are unaware of the new law.

The requirement for the attachment and display of Arizona license plates was amended to require that the “Arizona” at the top of each license plate not be obscured starting Jan. 1.

This has created a headache for many drivers who have license-plate frames that block the state name.

Harold Sanders, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said the requirement to have the state name clearly visible provides several benefits.

“The most important benefit centers on citizens who witness a crime involving a motor vehicle or otherwise recognizes a license plate from a broadcast for an Amber Alert or other attempt to locate will better assist the witness to identify the ‘Arizona’ and the characters on the plate,” Sanders said.

Tempe Police Department spokeswoman Katie McDevitt said Tempe police will put a strong emphasis on education since many people might not know about the revision yet.

“Our officers are trained to use discretion [when issuing a ticket], and they’ll be educating drivers so that they know,” she said.

McDevitt said Tempe police didn’t have a special task force created to find drivers with illegal frames, so the number of people pulled over since Jan. 1 is unknown.

Cydney DeModica, communications officer for the Motor Vehicle Division, said the revision was actually added to the existing license plate law in 2006.

“That legislation had a delayed effective date to allow people and auto dealers time to make the transition from a holder that could cover up the name to one that did not cover the state name,” she said.

DeModica said state Sen. Chuck Gray, who introduced the bill, felt it was important to add the revision.

Sen. Gray did not return multiple phone calls.

DeModica said the MVD is receiving calls from drivers saying their auto dealers are replacing illegal frames with new ones.

Sanders said license-plate requirements have been in place for many years as “primary enforcement,” which means a law-enforcement officer can pull over a driver for violating any part of the law, including the new frame revision.

The fines range from $110 to $200 statewide, and the average fine appears to be about $136, he said.

English junior Alex Clark said he wasn’t aware of the revision and would be furious if he was pulled over and fined for it.

The lawmakers developed this rule to create some form of “state-pride preservation,” he said, though “I would hope an officer wouldn’t impose this fine on someone the first time,” Clark said.

Reach the reporter at charlsy.panzino@asu.edu.