Senate OKs anti-abortion fund-raising license plate

LANSING – Drivers may get the chance to let all other motorists on the road know that they "Choose Life."

The state Senate passed a bill on a straight party-line vote of 26-11 Wednesday, requiring the Secretary of State to develop an anti-abortion license plate, which will raise funds for the Choose Life Michigan Fund run by Right to Life of Michigan.

The "Choose Life" plate will join a stable of 27 other fund-raising plates, none of which generate the same level of controversy as the newest plate. Fifteen of the plates raise money for the state-supported universities in Michigan and the rest go to organizations ranging from Breast Cancer Awareness, the Children's Trust Fund, and Ducks Unlimited to Lighthouse Preservation.

And the amount raised can be significant: The fund-raising plates cost $35 or more, on top of the standard license plate fee, and the university or organization receives $25 of that fee. Renewal of that license plate costs $10 more than the standard license plate fee and the organizations and universities get that $10.

So far, Michigan State University has received the most, by far, with $636,825 from the fund-raising plates for the year, and the University of Michigan-Flint plate was the lowest recipient at $7,645.

Supporters said 29 states already offer such anti-abortion plates, raising $21 million for anti-abortion organizations, and that Michigan should support such a life-affirming alternative.

"Your support is more than a vote for a license plate," said Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, and the sponsor of the bill. "It's a vote to support the most vulnerable in our society, the mother and the baby in the womb."

But opponents said it's inappropriate for the state to be used as a fund-raising vehicle for special interest groups trying to promote their own ideological viewpoint.

"We need to offer plates on both sides of a politically charged issue," said Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor. "Let's not put political speech on our license plate. Buy a bumper sticker."

Democrats offered amendments that would have required the money to go toward promoting health care for women and children and not propaganda or advertising by Right to Life, and would have created another fund-raising license plate that would promote a broad range of health care services for women, such as what is offered by Planned Parenthood. The amendments failed.

"If Sen. Colbeck and others were truly interested in reducing the abortion rate, they would turn their attention to making sure women had access to birth control, family planning services and affordable health care," said Amanda West, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan.

The group has no plans to request their own fund-raising plate, West said.

"We're just opposed to ideological viewpoints on license plates, period," she said.

The Secretary of State is neutral on the bill. And the $15,000 start-up cost for coming up with the new plate will be charged to Right to Life of Michigan.

The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 517-372-8661, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.

Other fund-raising license plates and amount raised in fiscal year 2014

Agricultural heritage: $66,260

Boy Scouts of America: $12,810

*Breast cancer awareness: $1,900

Central Michigan University: $92,375

Children's Trust Fund: $123,345

*Ducks Unlimited: $675

Eastern Michigan University: $32,115

Ferris State University: $48,560

Grand Valley State University: $44,980

Lighthouse preservation: $136,000

Lake Superior State University: $18,595

Michigan State University: $636,825

Michigan Technological University: $46,580

Northern Michigan University: $21,100

Oakland University: $26,005

Organ donation: $38,935

Saginaw Valley State University: $9,430

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor: $389,555

U-M, Dearborn: $9,685

U-M, Flint: $7,645

Veterans memorial:$54,635

Water quality: $70,900

Western Michigan University: $79,455

Wayne State University: $32,040

Wildlife habitat: $234,370

The Northern Michigan University Olympic Education Center: $38,345

Disaster relief through American Red Cross and Salvation Army: $291,210

*Plates were approved in 2014 and weren't on sale the entire year.

Source: Secretary of State