Abortion opponents may soon be able to buy specialty license plates in Iowa.

"Choose Life" new IA license plate design

 The state Department of Transportation has approved a plate that will read “Choose Life” below a drawing of two smiling kids’ faces. DOT spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher says the group Iowa Right to Life is sponsoring the effort. “Their application for that plate has been approved,” Gray-Fisher says.

“Now they have to gather 500 paid applications before the DOT will take any further action and actually issue the plate.” The group has a deadline of one year to get those 500 applications. While the agency would not allow license plates that support a political candidate, for example, she says the DOT does not judge viewpoints on issues like this. “It is an organization,” Gray-Fisher says. “They can submit an application. As long as the emblem itself is not in some way a sexual connotation, vulgar, profanity, then the DOT will issue them if they can qualify and gather the 500 applicants.” It’s part of a national effort by an anti-abortion group, Choose Life America. Iowa is reportedly the 29th state to approve a “Choose Life” plate.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)