BOISE - A northern Idaho lawmaker is once again seeking to create a specialized license plate depicting a controversial Idaho high school mascot.
The proposed plate would portray the Orofino "Maniac," a caricature mental health groups call offensive.
Republican Rep. Paul Shepherd of Riggins attempted to get approval for the license plate last year, but legislation failed to move out of committee.
However, this year, the Idaho Transportation and Defense Committee voted to send the bill to the House floor, but with the recommendation that the word "maniac" be removed from the proposed statute.
Orofino Councilwoman Jill Woolsey told the panel Thursday that the term maniac would not be on the plate.
She added that funds raised from the sale of the specialty license plate are needed for advanced programs in the underfunded high school.
However, opponents testified for over an hour against the measure, saying the mascot's portrayal only further stigmatizes mentally ill people.
