Planned Parenthood of the Heartland unveiled “My Body, My Choice” license plates in Nebraska Tuesday after failing to prevent “Choose Life” license plates from being approved by the state legislature earlier this year.
The “Choose Life” plate cleared the legislature with a final vote of 35-5 and features the design of a mother holding her child by the hand to admire a sunrise.
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts (R) praised the new “Choose Life” plate when the design was unveiled.
“It symbolizes that you’re not alone,” he said. “And it says Nebraska is a pro-life state.”
Check it out: Nebraska has a new #prolife license plate. RT to share! pic.twitter.com/88Fo12Rf0W
— Gov. Pete Ricketts (@GovRicketts) November 27, 2017
“Choose Life” license plates are already available in 32 states.
Lauren Williams, an advocacy strategist for Planned Parenthood Lincoln South Health Center, told The Daily Nebraskan in November that the abortion provider does not think taxpayers should be involved in political license plate messages.
“Our response on this issue is that Planned Parenthood does not believe taxpayers should have to subsidize political statement license plates, and we are disappointed the legislature felt otherwise,” she said.
However, that did not stop Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from creating a specialty license plate with a political message of their own, as they announced Thursday.
“‘My Body, My Choice’ license plates are an opportunity for Nebraskans to voice their own opinion on issues of women’s health – opinions that don’t necessarily reflect the opinion of the governor, lieutenant governor and some senators,” said Meg Mikolajczyk, associate general counsel and senior public affairs manager for PPHeartland. “After all, the majority of Nebraskans and Americans overall believe that a woman should maintain her right to reproductive choice as established under Roe v. Wade.”