The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing Nebraska's motor vehicle department for refusing to issue the personalized license plate "NE 420"—promoting the unofficial holiday National Pot Smoking Day, April 20. Frank Shoemaker, a lawyer from Holbrook, Neb., who requested the plate, is the sponsor of a petition drive for a state ballot measure next year to legalize cannabis.
DMV director Beverly Neth refused to issue the plate and said the "420" numerals were used to promote an illegal drug. She also said the numbers could be associated with Adolf Hitler and the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.
Amy Miller, Nebraska ACLU legal director, said there was nothing obscene or offensive about Shoemaker's proposed plate. "It's purely political speech relating to a current ballot initiative." (Reuters, Nov. 18)
Photo by J. Paxon Reyes
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Nebraska caves on 420 plate
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles agreed Nov. 18 to sell the “NE420” plate to Frank Shoemaker of Holbrook, a lawyer working to put cannabis legalization on the 2012 ballot. Department director Beverly Neth said state Attorney General Jon Bruning advised the department to issue the plate after the ACLU filed suit on behalf of Shoemaker. "They deemed it was probably a plate that might prevail at a federal level," Neth said. "They deemed it was best to go ahead and issue the plate." (Omaha World-Herald, Nov. 22)