Conservatives target specialty plates for gay support groups in Indiana

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Gay activists and gay-youth support groups are winning small battles nationwide to stamp specialty license plates supporting their cause, but conservative activists in Indiana are looking to put a dent in that effort.

Indiana began printing new plates in December for the Indiana Youth Group, which supports gay youths. The state's Bureau of Motor Vehicles approved the plates after a 2010 court battle with IYG and the Indiana American Civil Liberties Union.

Yet in the waning days of the 2012 session, Advance America -- an Indiana-based nonprofit led by conservative stalwart Eric Miller -- is lobbying state lawmakers to ban IYG and other gay support groups from offering special Indiana plates.

State Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, has tried three times this year to ban the IYG plates by pushing amendments for unrelated motor vehicle bills. House Republicans rebutted his latest attempt this week for fear that the controversial issue would damage support for their broader effort of cracking down on the recent rapid growth of specialty plates -- there are 105 of them, according to the House's Transportation Committee chairman.

Read more: http://www.indystar.com/article/20120218/NEWS05/202180346/Conservatives-target-specialty-plates-gay-support-groups-Indiana