New York: Lawsuit Over 'Choose Life' License Plates

There are 13 states with "Choose Life" license plates that benefit anti-abortion groups. In a couple of cases abortion rights groups have successfully sued, arguing that the state can't privilege one viewpoint like that. A request was sent to New York for such a plate, but it was denied - now there is a lawsuit over that.

The Journal News reports:

State officials, said approving a license plate with "Choose Life" was too controversial because of the slogan's link to anti-abortion politics. In August the Children First Foundation filed a First Amendment discrimination lawsuit. "Not everyone likes every license plate that's out there," [Elizabeth] Rex said, "but it's called freedom of choice."

"It's obviously a sensitive issue and an issue that we should not be taking sides on in a license plate," said Joe Picchi, a spokesman for the Department of Motor Vehicles. In August, the DMV temporarily suspended reviews of custom plates, which Rex said was done to block the "Choose Life" plate. Picchi said the suspension was so the agency could develop a more concrete approval process. ... New York has no standards or written criteria for approval of custom license plates.

If the state has no standards and criteria that every applicant can know about in advance, that is indeed a very serious problem — this sort of thing can't be left to someone's completely subjective whim. New York was right to reject a plate that is taking a controversial political stance and even more right to put a halt to all such plates until a standard set of criteria and procedures are developed. The only way that a "Choose Life" plate can be allowed is if is some sort of pro-choice plate is also permitted.

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