Skip to content
May 17, 2025
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • tiktok
MILLENNIUM NEWS 24/7

MILLENNIUM NEWS 24/7

Bridging The Community’s World Wide

  • Home
  • IP TV LIVE
  • PODCAST
  • U.S.News
  • ELECTION 2024
  • State News
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Maine
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Politics
  • World News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Weather
  • Business
  • Advisement
  • Health News
  • About Us
  • Contact us
Live TV

ACLU sues South Dakota over its vanity plate restrictions

FILE - Sun shines on South Dakota Capitol, Jan. 12, 2021, in Pierre, S.D. The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota announced Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, that it is suing South Dakota over a state law that restricts content on vanity plates. (Erin Bormett/The Argus Leader via AP, File)

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota announced Monday that it is suing South Dakota over a state law that restricts content on vanity plates.

The ACLU said in a press release that it filed the lawsuit on behalf of Lyndon Hart, whose application for a plate that said “REZWEED” was initially denied by the South Dakota Motor Vehicle Division for allegedly being “in poor taste.”

Hart runs a business called Rez Weed Indeed, which he uses to support the legal selling and use of marijuana on Native American reservations. Hart intended for the personalized license plate to refer to his business and its mission of promoting tribal sovereignty, the news release said.

According to the complaint filed Friday, the state Department of Revenue denied Hart’s application in 2022. Under state law, the department has the authority to “refuse to issue any letter combination which carries connotations offensive to good taste and decency.”

The department later reversed its decision without explanation and granted Hart the REZWEED plate. But Hart’s free speech rights are still at risk because state law allows the department to recall the plates at any time if they are believed to have been issued in error, the complaint says.

The department used its authority to recall at least three personalized plates in 2022, the lawsuit says.

It names both the state’s Department of Revenue and the state’s Motor Vehicle Division.

Kendra Baucom, a spokesperson for both entities, declined to comment Monday on the lawsuit or on the state’s policy.

The ACLU said the Motor Vehicle Division has rejected hundreds of personalized plate requests in the past five years for allegedly carrying “connotations offensive to good taste and decency.”

The state’s standard is “overly broad, vague and subjective,” the ACLU says, and it violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution that include the rights of free speech and due process.

The ACLU added that the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that license plates are a legitimate place for personal and political expression, and courts throughout the country have struck down similar laws.

In January, North Carolina decided to allow more LGBTQ+ phrases on vanity plates. The state’s Division of Motor Vehicles approved more than 200 phrases that were previously blocked, including “GAYPRIDE,” “LESBIAN” and “QUEER.”

Other states — including Delaware, Oklahoma and Georgia — have been sued over their restrictions in recent years.

About Author

dreamboy

See author's posts

Continue Reading

Previous: Captain found guilty of ‘seaman’s manslaughter’ in boat fire that killed 34 off California coast
Next: Local governments in West Virginia to start seeing opioid settlement money this year

Related Stories

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka set to appear in court on charge of trespassing at immigration facility

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka set to appear in court on charge of trespassing at immigration facility

Trump and Pope Leo are now Earth’s most powerful Americans. They lead in different roles and realms

Trump and Pope Leo are now Earth’s most powerful Americans. They lead in different roles and realms

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sex trafficking trial is set to start with jury selection

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sex trafficking trial is set to start with jury selection

Entertainment

Tom Cruise brings ‘Final Reckoning’ to Cannes, but won’t bid ‘Mission: Impossible’ adieu yet 1

Tom Cruise brings ‘Final Reckoning’ to Cannes, but won’t bid ‘Mission: Impossible’ adieu yet

‘SNL’ to close out its 50th season with Scarlett Johansson and Bad Bunny 2

‘SNL’ to close out its 50th season with Scarlett Johansson and Bad Bunny

Jen Psaki stepping up for MSNBC as Rachel Maddow returns to once-a-week schedule 3

Jen Psaki stepping up for MSNBC as Rachel Maddow returns to once-a-week schedule

Book publishers see surging interest in the US Constitution and print new editions 4

Book publishers see surging interest in the US Constitution and print new editions

What to know about Harvey Weinstein’s #MeToo retrial with jury selection set to get underway 5

What to know about Harvey Weinstein’s #MeToo retrial with jury selection set to get underway

Ahead of spaceflight, Katy Perry is reading Carl Sagan and channeling her ‘feminine divine’ 6

Ahead of spaceflight, Katy Perry is reading Carl Sagan and channeling her ‘feminine divine’

British police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault 7

British police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault

Top News

Israel expands attacks in Gaza and Yemen as Trump wraps up trip to region

Israel expands attacks in Gaza and Yemen as Trump wraps up trip to region

Trump administration officials say Secret Service is investigating Comey’s ’86 47′ social media post

Trump administration officials say Secret Service is investigating Comey’s ’86 47′ social media post

Trump’s Mideast trip splashes out on deals and diplomacy but is unusually quiet on human rights

Trump’s Mideast trip splashes out on deals and diplomacy but is unusually quiet on human rights

Tom Cruise brings ‘Final Reckoning’ to Cannes, but won’t bid ‘Mission: Impossible’ adieu yet

Tom Cruise brings ‘Final Reckoning’ to Cannes, but won’t bid ‘Mission: Impossible’ adieu yet

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • tiktok
Editor Nur M Tofader, 544 Taylor Avenue Bronx New York USA 10473, Tell: 7186396600, 7186396800, 7188441300, Email: Info@millenniuamnews24.com, Copyright © Millennium News 24/7 | DarkNews by AF themes.