Voting Kicks Off Today for Pro-Choice License Plate To Raise Funds for Women’s Reproductive Health Care Services Threatened by Trump
SACRAMENTO – (On May 15), State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) joined NARAL Pro-Choice California to unveil three potential designs for a “California Trusts Women” pro-choice license plate to be created by Senate Bill 309, authored by Jackson, now moving through the Legislature.
Californians can see examples of the designs and vote on their favorite at www.californiatrustswomen.com, and the final choice will be announced later this year.
Three California-based artists were commissioned to design a license plate which, should SB 309 pass, would be a visible way for Californians to show their opposition to Trump and federal anti-choice policies, while raising funding for the Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment (FPACT) Program, which provides family planning services to 1.8 million Californians every year.
The optional license plate will cost $50 in the first year, and $40 thereafter.
“SB 309 will provide a way for Californians who are deeply troubled by the federal attack on women’s rights and health care to take their values “to the street” while providing a vital funding mechanism for California’s network of reproductive health care providers,” said Jackson.
“Each person with a ‘California Trusts Women’ license plate on their car is showing that Californians won’t be bullied by Trump and his anti-choice allies and will fight to protect reproductive freedom,” said Amy Everitt, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California. “We’re excited to collaborate with these artists to give Californians a way to display their support for reproductive freedom and show our commitment to equality and quality reproductive health care for all.”
Californians interested in pledging to purchase a plate should the bill be signed into law can now do so on Jackson’s website. Thousands of pledges have already been received, as well as postcards in support of the bill from around the country.
SB 309, which would require that the Department of Motor Vehicles issue a “California Trusts Women” license plate once 7,500 Californians order them, is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The license plate options have been designed by three artists: Miriam Klein Stahl, a Bay Area artist, educator and activist and the New York Times-bestselling illustrator of Rad American Women A-Z and Rad Women Worldwide; Juana Alicia, a muralist, printmaker, educator, activist and painter who has been teaching for thirty years, working in many areas of education, from community organizing to migrant and bilingual education to arts education; and Mimi Pond, a cartoonist, illustrator, humorist and writer and the author of the New York Times-bestselling graphic novel Over Easy.
Jackson represents the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.
A video of (the May 15) press conference can be watched here.