ACLU argues Kentucky State Fair Board violated First Amendment with removal of billboard

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Kentucky State Fair Board are going back-and-forth over a billboard.

The Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice paid for the billboard at the Kentucky Exposition Center that has faith-based pro-choice messages. One of which says "Abortion: A personal decision between you and God."

Corey Shapiro, legal director for the ACLU of Kentucky, said the fair board removed the billboard back in April, calling the message "objectionable."

"They wanted it in a prominent location, and that's what they paid for, and that's what they should have," Shapiro said.

Since the board is a state agency, the ACLU claims it violated the First Amendment by restricting speech. It's now calling on the board to reinstate the billboard.

"A state agency cannot suppress speech based on personal feelings about an issue," Shapiro said. "The billboard should be reinstated and allowed to run for the originally agreed upon time frame in the high-profile location KRCRC originally chose."

According to the ACLU of Kentucky, the KRCRC "is a group of people of faith — clergy, faith leaders, congregants, and people of conscience — who believe a person's right to make their own reproductive choices is sacred and fundamental to religious freedom."

Kentucky Venues, which operates the Expo Center, said it is reviewing the ACLU's concerns.

"It could easily be fixed, and they could say to us and to our client and say, 'Hey, you know what, we're going to put that back up. There was an error that should have shouldn't have been taken down in the first place. Let's just put that back up,'" Shapiro said.