Supreme Court strikes down California’s abortion advertising mandate for pregnancy centers
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that pro-life pregnancy centers established to convince women to continue their pregnancies do not have to tell their clients about the availability of state-offered abortion.
The court stated that the California law violates the First Amendment. Crisis pregnancy centers, promising prenatal care and help when the child is born, were required to post notices or tell clients about the state’s abortion options.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the 5 to 4 decision. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the dissent.
Thomas said the law “targets speakers, not speech, and imposes an unduly burdensome disclosure requirement that will chill their protected speech.”
ADF President, CEO, and General Counsel Michael Farris argued the case, stating that “No one should be forced by the government to express a message that violates their convictions, especially on deeply divisive subjects such as abortion. In this case, the government used its power to force pro-life pregnancy centers to provide free advertising for abortion. The Supreme Court said that the government can’t do that, and that it must respect pro-life beliefs.”
Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for America, said in a statement, “To be clear, this case was not about abortion. Malicious abortion politics definitely were the motivation behind it, but the case centered on the inappropriate mandate of the state compelling pro-life clinics to promote abortion in violation of their consciences. The case was about forced speech.”
NARAL President Ilyse Hogue said in a statement that the court “turned its back on women” and highlighted the high stakes for future decisions.
“One vote made all the difference today, and it could also be the only thing between upholding Roe or outlawing legal abortion in America,” Hogue said. “Fake women’s health centers, with the rest of the well-funded and well-connected anti-choice movement, have been working towards this moment for decades. They have carefully put the pieces together — passing radical and unconstitutional abortion bans, stacking the lower courts — because they are counting on Trump’s Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade. Roe is at greater risk than ever before.”
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[…] United States Supreme Court decision is a victory for pro-life pregnancy centers, granting them the right to offer lifesaving options to pregnant women without being forced to make […]