Protecting Pregnancy Centers

Point of View

"The Left is attempting to force California pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion services they don’t offer and find immoral. These centers exist to help women facing unplanned pregnancies understand they have life-affirming alternatives to abortion. Crisis pregnancy centers help young women who are often afraid and sometimes facing outside pressure to abort. Most of these centers are operated by Christians who are motivated by their faith to affirm and protect the sanctity of human life.

"Abortion activists are putting the squeeze on these centers by getting laws enacted that would dilute their message and deprive them of the right to operate according to their beliefs.

"A California law, the Reproductive FACT Act, orders pregnancy resource centers to instruct women on how to obtain free or low-cost abortions through the state’s Medi-Cal program. FACT is an acronym for Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care and Transparency. Ironically, enacting this law would deprive pregnancy centers of these very qualities.

"The FACT law comes with draconian fines for centers that don’t comply. The law also forces non-medical pregnancy centers to post large and prominent disclosures, in up to 13 different languages, stating they are not medical — an attempt to undermine a pregnant woman’s confidence in them.

"Courts have struck down similar laws in Texas, Maryland, and New York. A California superior court judge ruled that the law violates the “freedom of mind” protection in the state’s 1949 Declaration of Rights. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit disagreed and permitted the statute to stand.

"Now, thanks to this split in circuit court decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take the case and will make the final call.

"Requiring pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion violates their constitutional rights of conscience and free speech. The nation’s 400 pregnancy resource centers have helped countless women to choose life for their babies and the High Court now has the opportunity to affirm their right to do so."    Penna Dexter