Illinois governor signs bill silencing pregnancy resource centers

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Thursday that effectively targets pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) from helping abortion-minded women.

Senate Bill 1909, the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act” allows the state attorney general to take action against any PRC for “deceptive action” in dissuading a woman from abortion. Violators could be fined up to $50,000. However, the bill does not specify what “deceptive actions” entail. According to Illinois Right to Life, the Deputy Attorney General for Policy repeatedly refused to define “deceptive” as it pertains to the bill during a spring hearing, saying only “we would evaluate each complaint on a case-by-case basis.”

PRCs provide pregnant women and their families with a host of services, including prenatal care, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD testing, and maternity and baby items, including food, diapers, furniture, clothing, and more. Many have medical staff on-site. According to a 2022 report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute, these centers have saved over 800,000 lives in five years. Yet despite the help they offer, many abortion advocates have gone on the attack against these pro-life centers, simply because they do not offer or refer for abortions.

Pregnancy Resource Centers Provide Millions In Free Services

“Full stop, this bill is a brazen attack on pro-life pregnancy resource centers,” said Illinois Right to Life Executive Director Mary Kate Zander in a press release. “FOIA requests determined there have been zero complaints filed against pro-life pregnancy centers, yet Attorney General Raoul and sponsors of this bill have repeatedly pointed to unsubstantiated accounts to justify this legislation. It’s a clear violation of free speech and an attack on Illinois’ pro-life movement. They have not heard the last of us on this.”

According to the Associated Press, the state’s PRCs wasted no time in filing a lawsuit against the egregious law.

“This law is a blatant attempt to chill and silence pro-life speech under the guise of ‘consumer protection,’” said Peter Breen, executive vice president of the Thomas More Society, which represents the plaintiffs. “Pregnancy help ministries provide real options and assistance to women and families in need, but instead of the praise they deserve, pro-abortion politicians are targeting these ministries with $50,000 fines and injunctions solely because of their pro-life viewpoint.”

The pregnancy centers involved in the lawsuit are seeking a restraining order and injunction against the law from being enforced.