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A proposal to bring "Choose Life" license plates to Nebraska has the backing of the governor and lieutenant governor.

The plates would be available for an additional $5 fee under a measure proposed by state Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue. The fee for personalized plates, with numbers or lettering selected by the user, would be $40.

Money from the fee would be used to provide prenatal-care grants for places or groups that do not offer abortions, Garrett said Tuesday during a public hearing on the bill (LB768) before the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

No one testified against the plates, but five people appeared in support — including Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, who also spoke on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts.

"An extraordinary number of Nebraskans continue to maintain that every effort should be made to defend the rights of the unborn wherever possible," Foley said.

Committee members also heard testimony on a bill (LB989), sponsored by state Sen. John Murante of Gretna, that would lower the number of prepaid applications required for producing specialty license plates not set out in state law from 500 to 250.