LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY herupaneb)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. A proposal to put the Christian fish symbol on Tennessee license plates could re-ignite a debate over the proliferation of specialty tags in the state.

The simple line drawing of a fish would appear on an official state license plate for a fee, with the extra money going to a cause or charity.

Donna Rowland -- a Republican lawmaker from Murfreesboro -- proposed the fish plate.

But state Senator Steve Cohen said putting a Christian symbol on state tags amounts to the state sanctioning religion.

In 2004, a federal judge rejected Tennessee's "Choose Life" license plate, saying it was unconstitutional because it promotes only one side of the abortion debate.

That decision is now on appeal, and the federal courts are divided over whether license plate programs in a dozen states are constitutional.

Tennessee already has more than 120 specialty plates, with the most popular saluting the Tennessee Titans football team.

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=4618388&nav=menu93_2