Critics argued the bill would put government on the anti-abortion side in the contentious abortion debate.

Anti-abortion lawmakers have tried several times in recent years to pass the "choose life" specialty license plate, but always got tripped up by parliamentary procedures.

"It's time for us to get this legislation passed," Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, said of SB 257 before the House voted 94-29 for the bill.

Heading to Perry soon

The measure has already passed the Texas Senate. Phillips resisted any amendments to keep the bill from requiring additional Senate action. After a final House vote today, the bill would go to Gov. Rick Perry to be signed into law.

Proceeds from the specialty plates would be used to promote adoption as an alternative to abortion and flow into a "choose life" account supervised by the state attorney general. The money could be used only to provide clothing, housing, prenatal care, food, utilities and transportation for pregnant women who are considering adoption.

The specialty plates would cost $30 more than standard license plates.

"We think Texans want the opportunity to do this," Phillips said. "They want the opportunity to say that they choose life and promote adoption. And they go hand in hand."

Some lawmakers objected to what they consider to be a political message in a "choose life" license plate.

"There's one side of a political opinion that will be expressed in this bill, and we're not allowing for (an alternative) opinion to be expressed," said Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston.

She lost an amendment that would have changed the license plate message to "choose adoption."

"It's a positive message. It's a policy message. There's no way to confuse what that means," she said.

All amendments defeated

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, also failed to amend the bill to exclude lobbyists from serving on an advisory committee intended to help the attorney general distribute the funding.

Phillips succeeded in defeating all amendments.

"We tried for many sessions to get this legislation passed. I am not going to take a chance of not getting it through," he said.

No Republican opposed the bill. A handful of Democrats supported the "choose life" license plate, including Rep. Scott Hochberg, of Houston.

Groups who opposed the bill included the ACLU of Texas, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas and the League of Women Voters of Texas.

gscharrer@express-news.net