Illinois 'Choose Life' License Plates Not Required, 7th Circuit Says
Overruling a federal trial judge, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has held that the state of Illinois is not required to issue “Choose Life” license plates sought by individuals who oppose abortion.
“The three-judge panel said a decision by Illinois lawmakers not to authorize the ‘Choose Life’ plate was ‘viewpoint neutral and reasonable’ and thus didn’t violate anyone’s constitutional right to free speech,” reports the Associated Press.
Although license plates do implicate private free-speech rights (some circuits disagree), the Illinois legislature has excluded the entire topic of abortion from its speciality-plate program, making the restriction content-neutral, the panel explains in a written opinion issued today.
Illinois “has authorized neither a pro-life plate nor a pro-choice plate,” the opinion continues. “It has done so on the reasonable rationale that messages on specialty license plates give the appearance of having the government’s endorsement, and Illinois does not wish to be perceived as endorsing any position on abortion.”
Related coverage:
Lifenews.com (advocacy group): “Illinois Choose Life Plates Upheld by Federal Judge as Free Speech”
ABAJournal.com: “Supreme Court Declines Cases on ‘Choose Life’ Plates, Juror Bible Reading”
