Who Chose 'Choose Life'?
The BMV authorized a 'Choose Life' specialty license plate. The BMV faced serious opposition as people claimed that the BMV was playing politics.
The BMV's response? That State Law provides that the BMV may approve a specialty plate with the submission of a petition containing 500 signatures. The pro-life group presented the petition, so they got their plate. One would assume that any other group (including a pro-choice group) could do the same.
Unfortunately, the BMV was hoping nobody would notice that the provision is a "may" provision, not a "shall" provision. That means that the BMV may approve plates with adequate petitions at their own discretion, but that it is in no way compelled by law to approve them.
And according to a report in today's Star, they don't always approve them. In fact, the BMV only approved 32% of the plate proposals with 500 signatures-worth of support.
Which means we are back to the BMV playing politics.
Maybe Mitch can explain what why certain plates are chosen:
"'I don't necessarily have a good reason,' Daniels said when asked how the administration chooses between one qualified group and another for the plates." (Indy Star)
Maybe not.
He did elaborate that one consideration is "how broad the support seems to be and how broad the demand seems to be."
AKA, Politics and Money.
Of course, one would think that the 500 signatures on the petition represent equal "support and demand." Perhaps if the administration wishes to approve certain plates based on popular support, it should have the statute changed so that the petition may contain as many signatures as can be collected, and that 8 petitions with the largest number of signatures shall be approved, while all others shall be instructed to take a hike.
That is the only way to objectively determine which plates have the most "support and demand" and therefore deserve approval.
Otherwise...um, yeah. Sounds like playing politics to me.
The BMV's response? That State Law provides that the BMV may approve a specialty plate with the submission of a petition containing 500 signatures. The pro-life group presented the petition, so they got their plate. One would assume that any other group (including a pro-choice group) could do the same.
Unfortunately, the BMV was hoping nobody would notice that the provision is a "may" provision, not a "shall" provision. That means that the BMV may approve plates with adequate petitions at their own discretion, but that it is in no way compelled by law to approve them.
And according to a report in today's Star, they don't always approve them. In fact, the BMV only approved 32% of the plate proposals with 500 signatures-worth of support.
Which means we are back to the BMV playing politics.
Maybe Mitch can explain what why certain plates are chosen:
"'I don't necessarily have a good reason,' Daniels said when asked how the administration chooses between one qualified group and another for the plates." (Indy Star)
Maybe not.
He did elaborate that one consideration is "how broad the support seems to be and how broad the demand seems to be."
AKA, Politics and Money.
Of course, one would think that the 500 signatures on the petition represent equal "support and demand." Perhaps if the administration wishes to approve certain plates based on popular support, it should have the statute changed so that the petition may contain as many signatures as can be collected, and that 8 petitions with the largest number of signatures shall be approved, while all others shall be instructed to take a hike.
That is the only way to objectively determine which plates have the most "support and demand" and therefore deserve approval.
Otherwise...um, yeah. Sounds like playing politics to me.
posted by Jezebella at 2:27 PM
1 Comments:
What is really bad is that if these groups get money for this it goes to Crisis Pregnancy Centers and its only used for mothers who place their children for adoption. Its that way in Florida. Now Mississippi saw to it that it went to mothers who parented their own children.
Amy
Ungrateful Indiana bastard
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