On Monday, Nebraska unveiled a new controversial “choose life” license plate design in Omaha. The design has survived backlash from many groups.

I am confused how something that belongs on a bumper sticker can be approved by state lawmakers to be put on a license plate. Doing a little research on the subject I found out an anti-abortion group, Living Word Ministries, attempted to gather enough applications to create Choose Life organizational plates. Nebraska law allows nonprofit groups that follow certain guidelines to get specialized license plates by collecting 250 prepaid applications for the plates. Some examples would be Union Pacific Railroad plates, Creighton University plates and Henry Doorly Zoo plates.

These plates are created by organizations, but are available to any driver. This would not be so bad, but state lawmakers took it a step further with Legislative Bill 46, introduced by State Sen. Dan Watermeier. The plates will be cheaper through the bill rather than the prepaid application process. This goes from a plate made by a group on one side of a controversial political issue, to the state of Nebraska fully supporting that one viewpoint.

This bill went through no shortage of challenges, getting past six filibusters. The last coming July 31 of this year.

“Every community in Nebraska has an obligation to choose life. The plates offer a glimmer of hope,” Watermeier said. I am from Iowa so I cannot comment for any Nebraskan but speaking as someone who has one of the most, let’s call it conservative, representatives there is, this seems like an over reach by republican lawmakers.

Many, including myself, wonder where this ends. What is too controversial to put on something associated with the state? Does this fall into separation of church and state? You could argue it does, especially since the original idea was from Living Word Ministries.

As stated before this bill went through a long battle to even get to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ desk. Nebraska is not the only state to offer “Choose Life” plates. Any legal challenge is probably not forthcoming as North Carolina won a long court battle just last year over the same subject.

In response, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is gathering their own prepaid orders for a “My Body, My Choice” license plate. Because this is not a bill through the state anyone who would want one must pay $70 extra dollars compared to the $5 extra for the “Choose Life” plate.