Final Days To Make Snoopy The Next California License Plate Benefiting California Museums

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Jan 22, 2015, 02:00 ET

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/-- The final days of an effort to put Snoopy the beloved beagle on California license plates, and help fund the state's museums at the same time, are here with the campaign at more than 5,000 orders of the 7,500 needed to put Snoopy on the plate. The special license plate, available for pre-order now at www.snoopyplate.com, features a reproduction of an original drawing of Snoopy by Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz and the phrase "museums are for everyone." Organizers are making a major push for orders before the January 31, 2015 deadline to make the plate a reality. The coming year marks the 65^th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip, the 50^th anniversary of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and the release of a new Peanuts feature film, so the timing for a Snoopy license plate could not be better.

Proceeds from sales will establish a competitive grant program administered by the California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE) to support California's museums. The Department of Motor Vehicles will begin issuing the Snoopy license plates upon receipt of 7,500 paid applications. Sequential plates are $50, while personalized plates are $98. "Once the plates are in production and people begin to see them on the roadways, we expect orders to increase exponentially," said Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego).

Assembly Speaker Atkins authored and Governor Brown signed legislation last year that created the grant program to be funded by the Snoopy license plate. She represents the Assembly on the CCHE Board, in addition to Assemblymember Ian Calderon (D-Whittier).

The Snoopy plate is also an opportunity to commemorate Charles M. Schulz, a renowned California artist. "My husband, Charles Schulz, frequently visited museums and got ideas and inspiration for his life and work as the creator of the Peanuts comic strip," wrote Jean Schulz, the widow of Charles Schulz and President of the Charles M. Schulz Museum, in a recent opinion piece. "He was an example of the millions of Californians who learn about the past, the natural world, and creativity though unique museum experiences."