SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lawmakers in Utah have passed a tighter ban on personalized license plates that have disparaging words or messages after a plate spelling out ‘deport them’ sparked debate on social media.
The Friday vote at the Utah Senate sends to Republican Gov. Gary Herbert the bill that would further restrict what can be said on vanity license plates, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The bill would ban plates that disparage anyone based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship status or a physical or mental disability.
The current ban prohibits plates that are offensive to good taste and decency, which the state Division of Motor Vehicles considers on its website any plate that expresses contempt, ridicule or superiority of a race, religion, deity, ethnic heritage, gender or political affiliation, lawmakers said.
The plate spelling out “DEPORTM” had been in use since 2015 and had received at least three previous complaints to the state before it got widespread attention ion social media recently, officials said. The owner of the plate was notified that it was revoked, beginning a 30-period for appeal, the state Tax Commission said.
The bill from Democrat Luz Escamilla would also prevent the agency from denying a vanity plate referring “to a state symbol. That provision comes as gun advocates appeal the rejection of plate requests referencing the official state firearm, the Browning M1911 semiautomatic pistol.
The agency does not typically allow weapons references on license plates.
