RALEIGH — House Bill 289 came before the state House Transportation Committee this week and what was meant to be a bill adding more specialty license plates has ended up another platform to debate abortion rights.
Rep Mitch Gillespie, R-Burke. introduced the bill into the 2011 legislative session with the intent of having a “Choose Life” tag to be among the selections.
In return, Rep. Diane Parfitt, D-Cumberland, added an amendment allowing a “Trust Women, Respect Choice” license plate to enter circulation.
Parfitt made no qualms about providing what she called an “appropriate counter-balance” to the “Choose Life” license plate.
Gillespie was against the addition, and it ended up failing 11-14 during a committee vote.
“It became a controversy and it made it interesting,” Gillespie said. “I opposed the pro-choice license and voted against it. This is an old debate, this is not something new. At least we were fair to [Parfitt]. She was allowed to make the amendment and debate it on the floor. I tried for 11 years to get the ‘Choose Life’ tag on the list, but I was not allowed to do so.”
If passed, H.B. 289 would require the specialty license plates to become more standardized and uniform. Plates also would be required to have reflective lettering.
Gillespie said the North Carolina Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies have approved the new design. Existing designs will be grandfathered in, but will need to meet the new guidelines and standards if and when their permits are renewed in the future.
He said most organizations apply for a specialty license for fundraising purposes and the venue has grown in popularity. Currently there are 60 requests on the bill, including those honoring stock car drivers, the state and national park systems, lung research, forestry, motorcycle gangs, the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, a children’s hospital, military service, bee keepers, and others.
On a lighter note, a volunteer fire department in Sampson County is requesting a special “Hollerin’” license tag, in honor of the annual National Hollerin’ Contest held each year in Spivey’s Corner.
Organizer Wayne Edwards said the world-renowned event is a major fundraiser for Spivey’s Corner Fire Department.
“If we get the license plate I think it would be a good, positive thing for a good, positive contest,” he said. “We would love to get the plate to promote our contest. I think a lot of people would jump on getting one if it was offered. It would help us raise even more money to put toward new and modern equipment.”
The committee did not vote on H.B. 289. It could be considered again at the next committee meeting, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday at noon.
Karen Welsh is a contributor to Carolina Journal.