Pro-life groups criticize an Illinois law for ‘chilling speech’ and file a lawsuit against it.
On Thursday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that gives the state’s attorney general the power to go after pregnancy centers that use “deceptive tactics” to steer women who want an abortion to other care that their programs offer instead.
The Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act says that crisis pregnancy centers can’t lie, give false information, or promote themselves to make it hard for people to get abortions or emergency contraception.
Pritzker said, “Women need access to comprehensive, fact-based health care when making important decisions about their own health. They don’t need manipulation or false information from non-medical actors with political goals.” “By giving the attorney general’s office the power to fight against misleading practices, we’re making sure that Illinoisans can make their own decisions about their bodies based on safe and accurate information.”
The new law gives the attorney general of Illinois the power to investigate centers that are accused of using these methods. It also gives the attorney general’s office more ability to try cases and give fines of up to $50,000.
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The law “clarifies that the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act, which applies to many businesses, also applies to crisis pregnancy centers,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said at a news gathering at a Planned Parenthood location to talk about the measure. “This bill is meant to protect people’s right to access all types of reproductive health care and make fully informed decisions, including the right to use or refuse reproductive health care.”
Raoul also said that “crisis pregnancy centers” use lies and false information to keep women from getting abortions or to keep them from going to their appointments. He also said that this issue has “heated up” since the Supreme Court rejected Roe v. Wade, the famous case that made abortion a constitutional right and sent the problem back to the states.
Critics of the law have pointed out that it’s unclear how the new law will describe lying or giving false information. They are worried that the government could use this uncertainty to wrongly target pro-life birthing centers.
Adam Niemerg, a Republican state representative from Illinois, asked Raoul to answer questions about the bill during a spring debate in the House. However, Raoul was told she could only talk to the person who wrote the account.
Niemerg said, “Perhaps the attorney general can answer some of the questions we have here.” “Representative, you are painting with a very broad brush, and I think the people of Illinois deserve to know through examples what this act will cover and what it won’t cover. Don’t you think so?”
Raoul said the bill is meant to “ensure that consumers have timely access to accurate information and medically appropriate care that is free from interference, deception, and unfair practices.”
The new law has been criticized, and a charity law company called the Thomas More Society sued the state of Illinois.
“This law is a blatant attempt to silence and chill pro-life speech under the guise of ‘consumer protection,'” Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of lawsuits at the Thomas More Society, said in a news release. “Pregnancy help ministries give women and families in need real options and help, but instead of giving them the praise they deserve, politicians who support abortion are going after these ministries with $50,000 fines and injunctions because they are pro-life.”
Illinois Right to Life also came out with a statement condemning the new law.
“This bill is a direct attack on the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers and a violation of protected freedom of speech,” the group said. “The language in the bill explicitly exempts abortion providers from the law while leaving the definition of “deceptive practices” unanswered and open-ended. Illinois pro-life advocates see this law as a “gotcha” political attack from people who support abortion.”
Illinois Right to Life praised the work of pregnancy centers that help low-income women with different medical services and hinted that it might sue the state.
“Full stop, this bill is a brazen attack on pro-life pregnancy resource centers,” said Mary Kate Zander, the executive director of Illinois Right to Life. “Requests made under the Freedom of Information Act showed that there have been no reports against pro-life pregnancy centers. However, Attorney General Raoul and the people who support this bill have frequently used unproven stories to defend it. It’s a clear attack on free speech and the pro-life cause in Illinois. They will hear more from us about this.”
But people who like the new rule say that they are fighting false information and protecting women’s health care.
In a statement, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said, “Misinformation is a form of injustice, especially when it is used to try to control women’s health care decisions.” “In Illinois, we won’t settle for anything less than everyone having full control over their bodies. This includes the right to easy access to correct medical information. We are committed to keeping Illinoisans safe from these tricks and making sure everyone has the freedom to decide what is best for their futures.”
Illinois Right to Life praised the work of pregnancy centers that help low-income women with different medical services and hinted that it might sue the state.
“Full stop, this bill is a brazen attack on pro-life pregnancy resource centers,” said Mary Kate Zander, the executive director of Illinois Right to Life. “Requests made under the Freedom of Information Act showed that there have been no reports against pro-life pregnancy centers. However, Attorney General Raoul and the people who support this bill have frequently used unproven stories to defend it. It’s a clear attack on free speech and the pro-life cause in Illinois. They will hear more from us about this.”
But people who like the new rule say that they are fighting false information and protecting women’s health care.
In a statement, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said, “Misinformation is a form of injustice, especially when it is used to try to control women’s health care decisions.” “In Illinois, we won’t settle for anything less than everyone having full control over their bodies. This includes the right to easy access to correct medical information. We are committed to keeping Illinoisans safe from these tricks and making sure everyone has the freedom to decide what is best for their futures.”
