New York City imposes restrictions on pregnancy-help centers
March 04, 2011
New York's City Council has approved a measure requiring pregnancy-help centers to advertise that they do not provide abortions.
The legislation was sponsored by abortion supporters, who charge that the centers are misleading pregnant women, creating the impression that they will offer abortion referrals. The measure imposes strict requirements on the centers, forcing them to provide signs, literature, and verbal reminders that they do not arrange abortions.
Administrators of the centers, led by Chris Slattery of Expectant Mother Care, have fought the requirements, arguing that the City Council was placing restrictions on their freedom of speech. The measure is obviously targeted at one particular sort of non-profit business. Abortion clinics are not required to tell clients if they do not provide childbirth classes and/or adoption referrals; only the crisis-pregnancy centers are forced to advertise a service that they do not provide.
A similar measure, enacted in Baltimore, was overturned by a court decision.
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