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322:. To this charge, Russ Amerling, Choose Life, Inc.'s publicity coordinator, replied that " have just as much right to have a plate as we do, as long as they go through the same process we did and not try to piggy-back onto the various states' Choose Life bills". He also said that no " have ever applied for a plate of their own in any state, until an applied for a 'Choose Life' plate."
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in other states pursue "Choose Life" license plates. As of April 30, 2010, Choose Life, Inc. reported that Choose Life license plates had raised over $ 12 million. On June 21, 2011, Florida
Governor Rick Scott signed House Bill 501, which directs the funds from the plates directly to Choose Life, Inc.
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New York: For several years, litigation occurred between the
Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) and the Department of Motor Vehicles. The original decision not to offer the specialty plates was overruled, but the issuance of the plates was held back pending an appeal in 2011. After more litigation, in 2015
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stated that, if elected, he would sign a Choose Life bill if approved by the legislature. Choose Life, Inc. went forward with the plate application again, and, after passing both houses, Governor Bush signed it into law on June 8, 1999. Since then, Choose Life, Inc. has been active in helping groups
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was rendered in June 2015, however, it allowed states to determine whether it wants controversial language on their plates or not, including pro- or anti-abortion rights language, which precluded further litigation in New York against having the plates as had been decided a month earlier in the 2nd
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the New York
Department of Motor Vehicles' policy to exclude controversial, politically sensitive messages from plates was “reasonable and viewpoint neutral, which is all that the First Amendment requires" according to the 2nd Circuit majority opinion. After the decision in
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District, or further litigation in North
Carolina for the plates, where the interpretation of the 4th Circuit that it was viewpoint discrimination to have one and not the other was reversed in 2016 after a review was demanded by the Supreme Court in light of Walker.
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and the sale of promotional items, such as T-shirts and neckties. A specialty license plate can cost an additional $ 25 – $ 70USD per year. Allocation of funds varies by state but funds typically go to
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organizations, which have argued that in authorizing them, but not offering plates conveying a pro-abortion rights message at the same time, states have carried out
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commissioner, after being inspired by an environmental license plate on the car in front of him to use specialty license plates as a way to raise funds for
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had twice held that issuing an anti-abortion plate but not a pro-abortion rights plate is impermissible viewpoint discrimination, but the
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had not yet clearly spoken on the legality of "Choose Life" specialty plates, and the federal circuits were split on their legality. The
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Parts of this article (those related to the constitutionality of governments offering "Choose Life" license plates) need to be
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vetoed a bill proposing the plates, citing the inappropriateness of using state license plates to fund religious initiatives.
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30,000 required under
Florida law at the time to submit an application for a new specialty plate, and State Senator
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vetoed a bill proposing the plates, citing "the potential to bitterly divide millions of
Michiganders".
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Circuits had ruled that states could refrain from allowing any discussion of abortion on plates. When
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93:. The plates feature the phrase "Choose Life", a slogan used by the anti-abortion movement, and a
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As of 2023, Choose Life license plates are available in 34 states and the
District of Columbia:
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Free Speech and the Limits of
Legislative Discretion: The Example of Specialty License Plates
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902:"License to Discriminate: 'Choose Life' License Plates and the Government Speech Doctrine"
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Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
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sponsored a bill in support of the tag's creation. The bill passed both houses of the
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809:"Gov. Rick Snyder vetoes bill that would have allowed 'choose life' license plates"
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1032:"Pro-Choice License Plate Advocated In Virginia: Supporters Threaten Lawsuit"
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392:"'Choose Life' License Plate Vetoed By Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee"
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985:"Children First Foundation, Inc. v. Fiala, 790 F. 3d 328 (2nd Cir. 2015)"
666:. Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division. 20 February 2020
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Virginia
Chamlee, June 22, 2011, Scott signs ‘Choose Life’ bill into law
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932:"Planned Parenthood of S.C. Inc. v. Rose, 361 F.3d 786 (4th Cir. 2004)"
686:"Ricketts signs bill creating 'Choose Life' specialty license plates"
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As of 2011, five states currently offer license plates which promote
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United States anti-abortion movement § Specialty license plates
1010:"Choose Life Illinois, Inc. v. White, 547 F.3d 853 (7th Cir. 2008)"
837:, Rick Karlin, November 9, 2011, "Capitol Confidential" Times-Union
481:
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625:"The "Choose Life" License Plate is Approved in Washington,D.C."
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http://floridaindependent.com/35692/rick-scott-choose-life%5B%5D
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In 1997, Choose Life, Inc. collected the 10,000 signatures and
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NY can ban 'Choose Life' license plates as DMV program upheld
708:"The New Jersey Choose Life License Plate is Now Available"
957:"ACLU of Tenn. v. Bredesen, 441 F.3d 370 (6th Cir. 2006)"
908:. William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada
735:"Court rules whether N.C. can make "Choose Life" plates"
359:: Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
1006:
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
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Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans
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Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans
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United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
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United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
314:"Choose Life" license plates have been criticized by
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United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
425:'Choose Life' License Tag May Hit a Bump in the Road
1105:Vehicle registration plates of the United States
1090:Anti-abortion organizations in the United States
786:"Controversial pro-life license plate approved"
129:in early 1998, but was vetoed by then-Governor
627:(Press release). The Children First Foundation
516:Motor Vehicle Registration and License Plates
407:
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8:
499:Florida approves `Choose Life' license plate
85:. It was founded in 1997 by Randy Harris, a
279:States where Choose Life has been rejected
1095:Non-profit organizations based in Florida
849:, Jonathan Stempel, May 22, 2015, Reuters
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647:Antiabortion message for specialty plate
514:Olszonowicz, Deborah. (September 1999).
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761:"TxDMV-Special Plate Order Application"
480:Lithwick, Dahlia. (February 6, 2003). "
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70:message. The plates are the concept of
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549:Madigan, Erin. (November 25, 2002). "
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423:Palmer, Alyson M. (April 6, 2006). "
866:, 957-998. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
645:Wangsness, Lisa. (June 18, 2010). "
566:Choose Life, Inc. (June 18, 2010).
394:. AP. July 17, 2013. Archived from
688:. Omaha World-Herald. 6 April 2017
14:
1100:Organizations established in 1997
900:W. Alexander Evans (April 2008).
551:Choose Life Car Tags Spark Debate
527:Burge, Kathleen. (May 5, 2006). "
835:‘Choose Life’ plates win a round
97:style drawing of two children.
23:
1075:Massachusetts Choose Life, Inc.
710:. The Children First Foundation
503:The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
453:Gielow Jacobs, Leslie. (2001).
877:Center for Reproductive Rights
864:Ohio State Law Journal, 64 (3)
62:available in 33 states in the
1:
1070:Choose Life of Missouri, Inc.
1030:Potter, Dena (May 25, 2011).
881:"Choose Life" License Plates
807:Lawler, Emily (2017-06-30).
600:"Personalized License Plate"
765:rts.texasonline.state.tx.us
460:September 12, 2006, at the
429:Fulton County Daily Report.
327:United States Supreme Court
1121:
890:. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
577:. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
557:. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
518:. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
56:Choose Life license plates
414:, accessed September 2017
858:Hurst, Sarah E. (2003).
788:. Appleton Post-Crescent
653:Retrieved June 18, 2010.
535:Retrieved June 23, 2007.
505:Retrieved June 23, 2007.
501:." (November 24, 1999).
488:Retrieved June 23, 2007.
431:Retrieved June 23, 2007.
320:viewpoint discrimination
284:Michigan: In 2017, Gov.
152:crisis pregnancy centers
91:crisis pregnancy centers
60:specialty license plates
16:Specialty license plates
337:held the opposite. The
143:non-profit organization
141:Choose Life, Inc. is a
568:Choose Life Newsletter
325:Before June 2015, the
310:Reaction and criticism
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886:July 1, 2007, at the
604:online.dmv.alaska.gov
573:May 28, 2010, at the
240:North Carolina (2016)
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1008:(November 7, 2008).
189:District of Columbia
1036:The Huffington Post
301:Rhode Island: Gov.
127:Florida Legislature
955:(March 17, 2006).
930:(March 22, 2004).
906:Nevada Law Journal
467:Florida Law Review
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72:Choose Life, Inc.
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335:6th Circuit
331:4th Circuit
286:Rick Snyder
225:Mississippi
183:Connecticut
160:Choose Life
106:Choose Life
44:August 2015
1084:Categories
471:, 419-432.
375:References
237:New Jersey
261:Tennessee
216:Louisiana
147:donations
81:based in
884:Archived
770:April 8,
739:CBS News
670:March 4,
609:April 8,
571:Archived
469:, 53 (3)
458:Archived
363:See also
270:Virginia
249:Oklahoma
231:Montana
228:Missouri
219:Maryland
213:Kentucky
186:Delaware
180:Arkansas
135:Jeb Bush
1046:May 25,
1015:July 3,
962:July 3,
937:July 3,
912:July 3,
204:Indiana
195:Georgia
192:Florida
177:Arizona
171:Alabama
123:Tom Lee
113:History
34:updated
486:Slate.
210:Kansas
198:Hawaii
174:Alaska
814:MLive
264:Texas
201:Idaho
74:, an
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672:2023
633:2013
611:2018
341:and
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246:Ohio
207:Iowa
119:US$
58:are
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