Religious messages will soon start popping up on vanity license plates in Nevada.
Until Tuesday, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles had denied all requests for plates with religious references. Two Las Vegas residents who, in April, were denied plates bearing "GODSGFT" and "GODRULS" challenged that policy and were able to get it changed."The result is that from now on any plates with the words God, Jesus or references to a deity may be used as long as it's not offensive to good taste which, like pornography, is subject to interpretation," said Jan Capaldi, assistant to the director of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The Rutherford Institute, a non-profit civil liberties organization based in Charlottesville, Va., routinely handles cases dealing with freedom of religion and found a Las Vegas attorney to handle the case pro bono, said Brad Dacus, a Rutherford spokesman.
The Las Vegas residents, Pamela Mason and John Finley, contacted the organization after the committee that reviews license applications denied them their separate requests.
"I think this case is real significant in that it sends a strong message to other states in that they must carefully examine other policies that are also hostile to religion," Dacus said.
Capaldi said the Department of Motor Vehicles reviewed the California DMV's vanity plates policy, which permits religious references, found that it had stood up in court and decided to emulate it. In addition, the department decided to change from having a committee review process to a one-person system.
Dacus said other states have previously agreed to change similar policies.
"We were just building upon what other Rutherford Institute attorneys had done in similar cases," said Michael Peters, the attorney who handled wrote the petition in Nevada. "Our job was much easier because of their dedication and hard work."