lebron james jersey cleveland

Cavaliers fan celebrated when LeBron James announced he would return to Cleveland. An Ohio lawmaker wants to celebrate that return with specialty license plates that would raise money for charity. (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Northeast Ohio lawmaker wants Ohioans to bear witness to their excitement about LeBron James' return to Cleveland with a new special license plate.

Rep. Bill Patmon, a Cleveland Democrat, has prepared legislation that would create a new "Witness 2.0" specialty plate for Ohio.

Patmon has been talking with the LeBron James Family Foundation, a charitable organization based in Akron, and hopes the specialty plate could serve as a celebration of James' return while raising some money for the charity.

Motorists would pay an extra $20 for the specialty plate, Patmon said. The state would then split that with the charity.

Patmon said he has been talking with colleagues in the Ohio House about the idea of quickly approving legislation to create the plate.

"I think it's a worthy thing to do," Patmon said Thursday. "I'm looking to do it before the season starts."

James announced July 11 he would leave the Miami Heat, and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he began his career. James made the announcement on Sports Illustrated's website in a letter, writing "In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have. I'm ready to accept the challenge. I'm coming home."

Patmon's idea is to do something similar to when Ohio introduced a license plate celebrating Superman, the comic book character created by Clevelanders Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. A portion of the sales helps support the Siegel and Shuster Society.

That plate, created through legislation Patmon sponsored, was introduced last year.

Patmon said he has followed James for years.

"I've been a fan of this young man since he was at St. Vincent-St. Mary (High School)," he said.