SPRINGFIELD - One Illinois lawmaker has trust in God and wants those who agree to be able to proclaim their faith through specialty license plates.

State Rep. Mike Boland, a Democrat from East Moline, has proposed a new law that would create license plates which read "In God We Trust."

"I'm hoping that people who care about kids, that are religious, and would like to show it in some way, that this would be a good way to do it," said Boland, who came up with the idea after seeing similar plates in Indiana.

The plate would cost $118. Boland wants to funnel $40 of that amount into a fund that would help law-abiding juveniles attend one-year of community college for free.

"It would be a productive way of raising revenue from behaviors that we're trying to discourage that cost us in lives, health or incarceration or expenses to society," said Boland, a former school teacher. "I thought we needed to give kids and their parents some kind of positive incentive for staying out of trouble."

Boland's plan is to ask students in the eighth grade to sign a contract stating that they will not break the law by consuming drugs or alcohol, or by committing theft or any violent act. In return they will earn financial credits towards community college tuition.

"I aimed it at community college for the cheaper cost because I'm not sure how much revenue this would raise," he added.

Regardless of how much money it does raise, Boland's opponent in February's primary, Jerry Lack, says any revenue raised should be used to put a dent in the state's more than $2 billion debt.

"It sounds like it would probably cost a lot of money…I think there's a lot of kids that already stay out of trouble," said Lack. "State education needs funding to fund our existing schools first…and let's pay our existing bills.

Both Indiana and North Carolina currently offer specialty license plates inscribed with the God motto. Kansas state Rep. Jim Morrison has proposed similar legislation before his House. He anticipates "separation of church and state groups" will cry foul if the proposal gains steam.

In Illinois, Boland is confident that he has legal backing to push the measure through, but says he has alternative plans for generating revenue if the specialty plate idea gets tripped up in the General Assembly.

"It's a nebulous enough concept that people of all faith or no faith cannot feel offended by it," Boland said. "If by some reason we run into legal problems, or that it doesn't end up being a big enough revenue source, I'll look at tacking on an extra fee to (drunken driving) or drug offense conviction fees."