Rally on the steps of the United States Supreme Court during the hearing for AB775
California’s Reproductive FACT Act, AB 775, forces pro-life pregnancy care centers to provide free advertising for the abortion industry. The law requires licensed medical centers that offer free, pro-life help to pregnant women to post a disclosure saying that California provides free or low-cost abortion and contraception services. The disclosure must also include a phone number for a county office that refers women to Planned Parenthood and other abortionists. The law also forces unlicensed pregnancy centers to add large disclosures about their non-medical status in all advertisements, even if they provide no medical services. Other courts have invalidated or mostly invalidated similar laws in Austin, Texas; Montgomery County, Maryland; Baltimore; and New York City. Pregnancy Care Clinic along with The Pregnancy Center in Fallbrook challenged the law in Federal court as a violation of our First Amendment rights. After unsuccessful attempts to block this law in lower courts, National Institute of Family Life Advocates(NIFLA), along with Alliance Defending Freedom(ADF) took our case to the Supreme Court of the United States. A final ruling will be published in June 2018.
On June 26, 2018, The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 5-4 ruling in the NIFLA v. Becerra case, overturning the coercive law that forced pro-life pregnancy centers to provide free advertising for tax-funded abortions.
Reproductive FACT Act (AB775) struck down by the Supreme Court
No one should be targeted by the government for peacefully living out their beliefs. It is an injustice and abuse of power for the government to craft a law to target pregnancy centers simply because it dislikes or disagrees with their views. The Government is tasked with protecting the freedom of speech. The Court has consistently held that viewpoint discrimination and government hostility toward people of faith is unconstitutional and has no place in our society. Additionally the Supreme Court rejected, once again, the idea that professional speech is a legitimate cause to set aside the First Amendment. Tolerance and respect for good faith differences of opinion are essential in a diverse society like ours. They enable us to peacefully coexist with one another. The court’s decision makes clear that the government must respect pro-life beliefs. If we want to have freedom for ourselves, we have to extend it to others.
The Reproductive FACT Act (AB775) presupposed that women are not smart enough to be trusted to make their own choice. Pregnancy Care Clinic on the other hand presupposes that women are smart, and if their choice is to seek an abortion, they will find a way to make that happen. This pro-life mission is accomplished, not by telling people what to do, but by provide education in all the options they have, and all the medical truths about their pregnancy. We trust that once equipped with this empowering information, clients will make a choice they can live with, and seek the next level of care. Pregnancy Care Clinic need not be complicit in the taking of a life by directing clients to where they can find an abortion.
We agree with the Supreme Courts decision, and are thankful that justice, freedom and reason has been restored. The work of Pregnancy Care Clinic is an asset to the community and a comfortable safe place for women to come while making a difficult decision.
Oral Arguments Transcript – Supreme Court 3/20/2018
Give Free Speech Life: The Story of Heidi, Blayne, and Josh
NIFLA v. Becerra – Supreme Court Case Information
US Supreme Court agrees to weigh in on California law forcing pro-life centers to promote abortion.
Our victory in court titled NIFLA v. Becerra (often just called “NIFLA”) was a landmark case that is used regularly as the standard in First Amendment cases against compelled speech, viewpoint discrimination. The legacy of our fight will go on to protect individuals, churches and businesses that wish to share a message that is contrary to the State’s preferred message. May the tyranny of any government wishing to silence a dissenting voice be forever thwarted!