Gov. Nathan Deal today said that he will seek a redesign of Georgia’s state-issued Sons of Confederate Veterans license plates, which is set on a Confederate battle flag background that covers the entire tag.

“As I have said before, many interest groups in Georgia are able to express personal views on specialty plates, and I support the ability of these groups, including the Sons of Confederate Veterans, to express their views. I have tried to govern as a consensus builder, and I believe we can reach a resolution agreeable to all sides through a redesign of the plate.

“Georgia has faced down this controversy before, has found solutions that brought people together instead of dividing them and has come through those debates a more united people. I know we can do that again. Georgia celebrates its diversity, its commitment to equality for all and its tolerance of all viewpoints.”

Of the 9 million license plates used in Georgia today, 3,500 of them are Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty plates.