Fla. lawmakers OK 'Choose Life' license plate

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This was just too good to not pass on to this group!

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Wednesday April 29 4:04 PM EDT

Fla. lawmakers OK 'Choose Life' license plate

By Michael Peltier

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida lawmakers voted Wednesday that
opponents of abortion rights in Florida could have special license
plates for their cars like those available to fans of manatees, sports
teams and teachers.

The state House approved a bill to create a tag with the slogan
"Choose Life" by a 77-41 vote, following the lead of the state Senate,
which approved it Tuesday 28-12.

If signed by Gov. Lawton Chiles, the bill, which was backed by
abortion opponents, would allow Florida car owners to spend an extra
fee to receive a license plate with pictures of smiling children and
the slogan "Choose Life."

The state already has 39 other special plate options, including one
reading "Save the Manatee," another expressing support for education
and one memorializing the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded
over Florida in 1986, killing six astronauts and teacher Christa
McAuliffe.

The new tag was approved after heated debate, with supporters calling
it a generic affirmation of life and opponents calling it an
inappropriate political statement, especially in a state where two
doctors who performed abortions have been gunned down by abortion
opponents.

"To me it's a positive, pro-active message," John Dowless, executive
director of the Christian Coalition of Florida, said. "I personally
think the state of Florida should have a policy that favors adoption
over abortion."

The most heated debate came during debate over a proposal to change
the license plate slogan to "Adopt a Child," which was defeated on a
65-51 vote.

State Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat of Weston, said: "The
real issue here is that this organization does not want to support
adoption. They want to promote their political message."

Lobbyists said Florida would be the first state to create a license
plate touching on the controversial abortion issue, in which
supporters of abortion rights call themselves "pro-choice" and
opponents say they are "pro-life."

Proceeds from the sale of the new tag will be earmarked for services
for pregnant women and to promote adoption.

A spokesman for Chiles said it was not yet known whether the governor
would sign the measure or veto it. ^REUTERS@

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