JACKSON-The state Senate approved a bill Friday to create a “Choose Life” car tag to raise money for crisis pregnancy centers run by anti-abortion groups. The issue died in the 2001 session in the House amid a dispute over making political statements with what are essentially fund-raising specialty tags for various groups.
Mississippi has dozens of specialty tags, touting everything from wildlife conservation to public and private universities. Drivers pay extra fees for specialty tags, and money is routed to various programs. The wildlife tags, for instance, bring money for wildlife conservation.
The “Choose Life” bill calls for an extra fee of $25, said Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo. Of that, $20 would go to a nonprofit “Choose Life Advisory Council” to support crisis pregnancy centers, which counsel against abortion and provide health services for pregnant women.
Opponents said the issue is a political one that the state should not be advocating, regardless of the forum.
Nunnelee said dozens of distinctive car tags pass through the Legislature and only this one brings the objection that there are too many.
“I’ll acknowledge this is a political statement. You won’t get any debate from me there,” he said. “I would suggest to you that this car tag is a matter of choice. We are not mandating that this slogan go on state vehicles. We are not mandating that every car in Mississippi carry this car tag.”
He said if the Legislature can authorize specialized tags for wildlife and other programs for people willing to pay an extra fee, then “it just makes sense to me we can also have a license plate for human life for those who want to support that as well.”
Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, is chairman of a House subcommittee that considers specialty tag requests. He said several tag bills have been filed and his subcommittee will consider the bill.
Terri Herring of Ridgeland, with the Pro-Life Coalition of Mississippi, is supporting a tag that has crayon drawings of two children’s faces over the “Choose Life” slogan.
Herring said Friday the group was pleased with passage of the bill but hoped the House will eliminate some restrictions in the Senate version.
Herring said that language is similar to what Florida has in its tag law. Under the bill, the remainder of the funds could go for counseling and training.
Gail Chadwick of Jackson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, said the state’s adoption of the specialty tag amounts to the state endorsing a “very hot button issue.”
Legislatures in South Carolina and Louisiana have also approved “Choose Life” license plates, and they are being challenged in court.
In Alabama last fall, a license plate committee made up of legislators, state leaders and county tag officials approved the tag and no challenges have yet been filed.