Judge sidelines Tennessee ‘Choose Life’ plates

NASHVILLE — Abortion rights activists are still fighting against specialty license plates with the words, “Choose Life,” after the plates have been allowed in states such as Louisiana and Florida but denied in states such as South Carolina and Tennessee.

In September, U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell said Tennessee’s Choose Life plate was unconstitutional because it promotes only one side of the abortion debate. Campbell deemed it “viewpoint discrimination” and said the same assessment would apply to a pro-choice plate. Like many states, Tennessee offers a variety of specialty plates. But the state’s governor said in response to the Choose Life ruling that a review of the license plate program is in order.