According to an article by the AP, New York State court has ruled that the state must allow custom license plates requested by anti-abortion group that say “Choose Life.” The court found that “the repeated refusal violated the free speech rights of the Children First Foundation.”
According to the article the foundation originally requested these custom license plates in 202 but was rejected by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles because “it would be perceived as governmental support for one side in the abortion controversy.”
The article also said that another concern for the state was that these license plates “have the potential to provoke road rage.”
While the state has rejected the custom plates since 2002, according to the article it has acknowledged “the nonprofit’s efforts to promote adoption as an option for woman with unwanted pregnancies or newborns.”
There are currently 28 states that allow “Choose Life” license plates, and there have been similar court cases recently in other states. According to the article, Arizona also ruled that the state DMV Commissioners “engaged in prohibited viewpoint discrimination” while the state of Illinois held its DMV Commissioners decision, saying that it was “permissible, neutral “content-based restriction.”
The article said that the decision is now in limbo as it will possibly be appealed. Jeffrey Slater, attorney for the Children First Foundation, told the AP that if state lawyers do not file an appeal within 30 day’s, the courts decisions will come into effect.
You can read the full article by clicking here.