‘Choose Life’ plates proposed in South Carolina to fund groups opposed to abortion
By
JIM DAVENPORT
Associated Press
COLUMBIA – Bright yellow “Choose Life” license plates that have prompted court challenges elsewhere now are being promoted for South Carolina by the lieutenant governor and others who want to help fund groups that oppose abortion.
The $70 plates “will allow South Carolinians to choose life license tags to send a positive message to all South Carolinians, a message that South Carolina is a place where life is valued,” Republican Lt. Gov. Bob Peeler said Tuesday.
Peeler, who is running for governor next year, said the money would support private, nonprofit crisis pregnancy programs that work to curb abortions with shelter, food, clothing, education, medical care and adoption services.
“The bill really doesn’t do anything about abortion,” said the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville.
A Planned Parenthood spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.
Other states considering similar legislation include Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, said Russ Amerling, spokesman for Choose Life Inc. in Ocala, Fla.
Sen. Joe Wilson, R-West Columbia, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, supports selling the plates in South Carolina. Both sides of the abortion argument agree that life is valuable and therefore embrace a “choose life” message, he said.
“It’s just that we diverge after those first two words,” Wilson said.
They also have the support of U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said Daniel Hamilton of DeMint’s district office in Greenville.
“He heard about them in Florida and wanted to replicate them here in South Carolina,” Hamilton said.
The sale of 15,000 similar plates in Florida has raised about $300,000, Amerling said.
Abortion rights supporters are concerned it could be a step toward limiting abortion.