Victory! NYC Passes Bill Regulating Deceptive Crisis Pregnancy Centers

by Alex DiBranco · 2011-03-02 13:38:00 UTC
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Today, I'm especially proud to be a proud New Yorker. This afternoon, the New York City Council took a step forward for women by passing a bill telling crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs): no more tricking women.

CPCs across the country are infamous for their manipulative, shaming, and downright deceitful tactics in trying to keep women from exercising their right to choose an abortion. NYC's "fake clinics," are no exception, caught by a NARAL Pro-Choice NY investigation frightening women with made-up risks of breast cancer and mental illness, and lying about the status of their pregnancy and the laws surrounding abortion (pdf). And they snare women seeking comprehensive information and medical care by presenting themselves as unbiased clinics. But it's not Halloween, and the NYC Council now says: masks off.

With the support of Speaker Christine Quinn and the driving power of council member Jessica Lappin, an overwhelming majority of the council passed legislation (Intro. 371) requiring CPCs to post signs stating that they do not provide abortion services or information, and if they lack medical personnel on staff, as is the case for most. Over 600 Change.org members took action asking the city council to take action to protect women, and the city council not only passed this measure, it also voted in favor of resolutions calling upon Congress to stop its attacks on women.

"I am relieved that the New York City Council has taken a major step to reign in CPCs and uphold every patient’s right to open, honest, medically accurate counseling and high-quality care," stated Anne Davis, MD, MPH, medical director at Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH). Davis relates being faced with patients deprived of their choice to have a safe, legal abortion by CPCs that lied about how late-term the procedure could take place, or who didn't realize that the "clinic" had zero medical staff and that they actually needed to be receiving prenatal care if continuing to carry the pregnancy.

Even people who oppose abortion should respect women's right not to be tricked and lied to about decisions regarding their bodies. If crisis pregnancy centers want to reduce the rate of abortion, let them do it by honest means. Deceiving women, undermining their rights and jeopardizing their health, cannot be condoned.

New York City joins Austin, TX, and Baltimore, MD, is stopping CPCs' trickery. If your city is in need of similar legislation, use the Change.org petition tool to target your city council and call for action.

Photo credit: eschipul

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.

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Tell NY City Council: Stop Lies By Anti-Choice Pregnancy Centers
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