The state of North Carolina is appealing a federal judge's ruling that it can't offer anti-abortion license plates unless it also makes plates available for people who support abortion rights.
The state filed notice Friday that it's appealing the decision last month by Judge James Fox, who said offering just the one license plate violates the First Amendment.
The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union sued over the plates in September 2011. Chris Brook of the state ACLU says it's unfortunate that the state is prolonging the case.
In 2011, the General Assembly approved 80 specialty plates, including the "Choose Life" one. Each "Choose Life" plate cost $25, of which $15 was to go to the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, an association of nonprofit pregnancy counseling centers.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
