OKLAHOMA CITY — Native America is getting a new look.

Well, not exactly. But the “Native America” logo that has adorned Oklahoma license plates for the past 15 years will be overhauled thanks to legislation awaiting Gov. Brad Henry’s signature that will reissue license plates to owners of an estimated 3.1 million vehicles registered in the state.

The reissuance plan, scheduled to begin Jan. 1, will mark the first time in almost 16 years that the state has issued redesigned license plates and the first time it has done a statewide reissue of all plates, one of only 16 states that have not done a complete license plate reissuance.

The new license plates will boost law enforcement efforts to rid roadways of deteriorated and unreadable plates, identify motorists with delinquent license tag fees and present a new image for the state.

“License plates are very visible aspects to any vehicle. They become rolling billboards if you will,” said state Tourism Director Hardy Watkins.

Best of all, the new license plates will cost motorists nothing. The program’s $6 million cost will be paid by the estimated $6.2 million increase in motor vehicle collections from motorists with expired tag fees.

The state expects to collect another $2.1 million from motorists who pay a $15 fee to reserve their old license plate number.

“It’s just a win, win, win all the way around,” said Rep. Ken Miller, R-Edmond, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and author of the license plate reissuance measure.

Miller said the bill did not meet serious opposition before it was overwhelmingly passed by the House and Senate.

“The worst they can say is you have to change two screws,” he said.

A spokesman for the governor, communications director Paul Sund, said Henry is likely to sign the bill although it still must pass the scrutiny of attorneys who screen legislation for legal defects and other flaws.

State tourism officials are close to picking the final design for Oklahoma’s new license plate — one that will retain the state mantra “Native America” and feature the image of American Indian artist Allan Houser’s striking bronze statue “Sacred Rain Arrow” at Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum.

“I think it’s a real boon for Tulsa. People are going to go: ’What is that? Where is that?”’ said Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, who carried the license plate legislation in the Senate.

“It’s a secondary benefit that we would be able to have a new image for our state,” Jolley said.

Jolley said the reissuance project emerged from Oklahoma’s 2007 centennial celebration and the License Plate Redesign Task Force that met last year to find a new design for Oklahoma license plates.