Kathleen Gray

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

LANSING — Michigan drivers could get a “Choose Life” license plate that would benefit anti-abortion groups under a bill passed largely along party lines today in the Senate.

Republicans supported the bill as a benefit to women and fetuses.

“I remember when one of (our) core values was our inalienable right to life,” said Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, who sponsored the bill. “All we’re doing is providing $25 per license plate to an organization that is providing women with the opportunity to make a life-affirming choice.”

Democrats said the bill was politicizing the state’s license plate system.

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“This would be the first and most politically blatant license plate in our state. The money would go to the Choose Life Michigan fund, which is controlled by Right to Life of Michigan,” said state Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor. “Let’s not put political speech on our license plates. You can buy a bumper sticker for that.”

The bill passed on a 25-11 vote, with Sen. Tory Rocca, R-Sterling Heights, joining all the Democrats in opposing it.

The state now offers 29 fund-raising license plates: 15 for Michigan’s public universities and 14 for causes ranging from agricultural heritage to breast cancer awareness to supporting water quality and wildlife habitat. Drivers pay $35 for the specialty plates, with $25 going to the organization and $10 to the state to pay for the cost of producing the plate.

The Senate also passed a bill that would allow drivers to get fund-raising license plates for Detroit sports teams — the Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings and Lions — as well as for the Michigan International Speedway. That money would go to the teams’ charitable foundations.

Sen. Steve Bieda, D-Warren, opposed the fund-raising plates for the sports teams and the "Choose Life" plate.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the state to be subsidizing or advertising a private business or a political organization,” he said. “It may be a person’s choice to buy that plate, but it’s still state resources going to advertise those private businesses or causes.”

Last year, Democrats introduced a bill that would create a fund-raising license plate for "Women’s Health," with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. It never got a hearing.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, said Democrats can choose to introduce another such bill.

“I don’t know if I would support it, but they could certainly introduce it,” Meekhof said, noting that he doesn’t have a problem with mixing politics and license plates. “We have majorities, and we think this is an organization that does great, great work, and we believe it is the right thing to do.”

Both bills — SB 163 for the "Choose Life" plate and SB 178 for the sports teams plates — now move to the House for consideration.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal