Choose Life License Plates

Details of the “Choose Life”

Specialty License Plate Program

Background

The Indiana Association of Pregnancy Care Centers, Inc., petitioned the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) for a special group recognition license plate (the “Choose Life” plate). The purpose of the license plate is to permit individuals to demonstrate publicly their support of Indiana’s pregnancy care centers and to provide those centers with additional funding in support of the free services they provide to thousands of women and children each year. The petition for the plate was approved by Governor Mitch Daniels and the Indiana BMV and will be available beginning in January 2007.

Funding is generated through specialty plates by an additional fee assigned to such plates. In the case of the “Choose Life” plate, those funds will go to the Indiana Association of Pregnancy Care Centers (as the organization who petitioned for the plate) to be distributed to its member pregnancy care centers across the state.

Process for Obtaining a “Choose Life” License Plate

Although a few very popular Indiana specialty plates can be purchased directly at a BMV office, there are many others plates that require an additional step before someone can obtain them. In such cases, the individual submits a specialty plate application and plate fee directly to the organization that will be receiving funding through the plate sale. In the case of the “Choose Life” plate that organization is the Indiana Association of Pregnancy Centers. Upon receipt of the application and fee, the IAPC will issue a validated receipt that the individual then takes to the BMV where they then obtain the “Choose Life” license plate. The BMV charges an additional $15, which they retain, when issuing any specialty plate.

The Process Made Easy

To make this additional step as easy as possible for those interested in obtaining the “Choose Life” plate, the IAPC is establishing a website that people can log onto, enter the necessary information and then submit payment of the $25 directly to the IAPC via credit card. The individual will then immediately be able to print off the validated receipt necessary for obtaining the “Choose Life” plate from the BMV office.

Choose Life Specialty Plate Website is: www.chooselifeindiana.com

Individuals who would rather not apply for the “Choose Life” plate validated receipt over the internet may download a paper copy of the plate application from the IAPC website or obtain one from their local pregnancy care center and mail it, along with the $25 fee, to the IAPC for processing. The IAPC will then record their contribution and mail them the necessary plate validated receipt. They then take the validated receipt to the BMV and obtain the “Choose Life” plate.

Once individuals have the “Choose Life” plate, they will have to submit a new application and $25 fee to the IAPC each year when it’s time to renew their license plate in order to obtain renewal tags from the BMV. If not, they will revert back to standard plates.

Distribution of “Choose Life” Specialty Plate Funds

  • Only Indiana Association of Pregnancy Centers member organizations are eligible to receive funds generated through “Choose Life” plate sales. The criteria for membership into the association (listed on the association application) are intended to limit membership to those organizations that are actually pregnancy care centers.
  • No more than 5% of total plate sale revenue will be retained by the IAPC to fund administrative expenses of the association.
  • Funds generated from plate sales within a specific county will be distributed by the IAPC to the IAPC member pregnancy care center(s) in that county. For example, funds generated from plate sales in Delaware County would be distributed to the IAPC member pregnancy care center in that county. (Less the IAPC administrative fee of not more than 5% of the total amount.)
  • Initially, all plate sale revenue collected from counties where no IAPC member center is located will be retained by the IAPC as reimbursement for startup cost. (Website design, insurance, etc.)
  • Once those IAPC startup cost have been reimbursed, funds collected from counties without an IAPC member center will be divided as follows: 50% will be divided between IAPC member organizations in neighboring counties to where the funds were generated and 50% will to the IAPC Grant Fund to be distributed to startup centers and centers in financial need.
  • It is anticipated that plate sale revenue will be distributed to IAPC member organizations after the first quarter of 2007. Following that, it is expected that funds would be distributed to IAPC member organizations every other month.

Use of Choose Life Plate Funds

It would be prudent for all of us to realize that this funding is dependent upon the states’ continued willingness to offer the Choose Life plate. This may be something that continues for many years and is a real blessing to those we serve. However, we should understand that these funds would always be somewhat uncertain when it comes to making our budgets each year.

An organization receiving funds from the IAPC, which were generated from the sale of the Choose Life plate, must use these funds to facilitate and provide services for pregnant women or women who believe they may be pregnant. These services can include, but are not limited to, pregnancy tests, life-affirming counseling and technology, education, medical care, and material support including clothing, food, housing, transportation, baby furniture, and other baby items.