NIRH Congratulates Connecticut for Passing Bill to Curb Deceptive Advertising by Anti-Abortion Limited Service Pregnancy Centers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2021
Contact: Tara Sweeney, [email protected]
NEW YORK CITY – Last night, Connecticut took a major step to protect residents from the deceptive advertising practices of anti-abortion limited service pregnancy centers, sometimes called “fake clinics,” with the passage of SB835. The bill gives the Attorney General’s office the power to seek a court order to stop the deceptive advertising practices of these facilities.
“Pregnant people should have access to trustworthy, timely, and high-quality medical care in their community,” said Andrea Miller, president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health. “The Connecticut lawmakers and advocates who championed this bill’s passage truly served their communities by curbing the spread of deceptive information from these facilities. It’s critical to ensure these facilities cannot purposely deceive those who are seeking care and accurate information.”
“It is abundantly clear that across the country, crisis pregnancy centers serve as the frontline for the anti-abortion movement,” said Liz Gustafson, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut. “Any delay in accessing time-sensitive care, including abortion, is a threat to public health. Yesterday’s vote in the House reaffirmed that the State of Connecticut will not stand for attempts to delay or block access to essential reproductive healthcare.”
NIRH has long worked in partnership with NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, having collaborated to pass an ordinance in Hartford in 2017 intended to address both deceptive advertising practices and other harms caused by limited service pregnancy centers. SB385 is an example of how state and local governments can step up to ensure that people seeking reproductive health care do not experience delays in seeking access to medical care as a result of lies, misinformation, or deception.
Having passed both chambers of the legislature, SB385 now heads to Governor Ned Lamont — and advocates are encouraging him to sign this bill into law.
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The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) is an advocacy group that works directly with state and local reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations and allied groups to protect and advance access to reproductive healthcare. For more than 40 years, NIRH has been partnering with communities to build coalitions, launch campaigns, and successfully advocate for policy change. NIRH’s strategy is to go on the offensive and focus on communities where change is needed, so the fabric of reproductive freedom becomes harder to tear apart.