The US Supreme Court has ruled that pro-life pregnancy centers do not have to violate their beliefs by advertising for abortions.
The state of California was trying to force those pro-life health centers to advertise abortions, which would violate their purpose for existence.
“We applaud the U.S. Supreme Court for sending a clear statement today that pro-life Americans cannot be discriminated against and targeted by government. The State of California’s insidious effort to prevent pregnancy care centers from helping suffering women is appalling,” said Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America.
Pro-choice legislators in California passed a law in 2015 demanding those centers post abortion advertisements in their facilities and online.
Ryan Anderson at the Heritage Foundation says today’s Supreme Court ruling will likely have a positive impact in other areas as well, tweeting: “Reading through Justice Thomas’s opinion: what he says about professional speech should help protect many other professionals, and not just on speech about abortion, but also speech about marriage, rightly understood.”
Brad Dacus, president and founder of the Pacific Justice Institute, commented, “Today’s decision from the Supreme Court is a resounding reaffirmation of free speech principles and a sharp rebuke to the California Legislature. The so-called Reproductive FACT Act was never about objectivity or information—it was a blatant attempt to coerce pro-life advocates into promoting the very thing they abhor. We are gratified that the Supreme Court rewarded our efforts over the last several years to defeat this insidious legislation.”