"If you think it's anything other than a tax, you're fooling yourselves," Inman said.

Oklahoma motorists would be required to purchase new metal license plates next fiscal year at a cost of $5 each under a bill approved Monday by the state House of Representatives.

McCall said the reflective material used on license plates wears off over time, making them more difficult for law enforcement officers to read.

McCall said it is also difficult for law enforcement officers to see the small stickers placed on license tags annually when registrations are renewed, which makes it harder for them to identify unregistered vehicles and uninsured motorists.

House Bill 3208, which passed 52-45, must still be approved by the Senate and governor before it could become law.

The state expects to raise about $18.5 million through the sale of new tags, lawmakers said. The bill calls for 20 percent of the money to go into an Oklahoma Tax Commission fund to pay for the new tags, while the remaining 80 percent would go into a State Public Safety Fund to be appropriated by the Legislature.