Choose Life Illinois filed a federal lawsuit earlier this year charging that the legislative process to approve specialty license plates in the State of Illinois is discriminatory and, therefore, unconstitutional. 

Choose Life Illinois stated that certain members of the Illinois General Assembly have demonstrated anti-adoption prejudice during the last two legislative sessions by placing political roadblocks in the way of a bill that would have added the “Choose Life” specialty license plate to the 45 specialty plate options currently available to Illinois citizens.

Monies collected by the sale of Choose Life specialty plates are planned to go toward funding adoption and educating Illinois citizens about the adoption option.

An unprecedented number of Illinoisans have expressed support for a Choose Life License plate.  To date, over 35,000 petition signatures have been collected from around the state, with “more petitions received every day,” said Mrs. Virginia McCaskey of the Chicago Bears, also a member of the Choose Life board of directors.  “I hope the courts will give this cause what the state legislature failed to provide, namely, equitable treatment before the law,” said McCaskey.

By Illinois law, the power to approve or disapprove new specialty license plates is vested with the Secretary of State’s office.  The SOS has abdicated this responsibility to the legislature.

Choose Life Illinois is asking the Court to abolish the specialty plate system until Illinois adopts a new nondiscriminatory approval process with strictly neutral criteria.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott and Janet Willis, who lost six children in an accident that led to the exposure of the license for bribes scandal within then-Secretary of State George Ryan’s office, also support the Choose Life endeavor, wanting an Illinois license plate that “offers hope for Illinois children and their parents,” said Mr. Willis.