House Passes Bill to Increase Transparency Around ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’
The General Assembly passed legislation Sunday that increase transparency surrounding reproductive healthcare. Sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay and House Majority Leader Melissa Minor-Brown, Senate Bill 300 would require crisis pregnancy centers to…
The General Assembly passed legislation Sunday that increase transparency surrounding reproductive healthcare. Sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay and House Majority Leader Melissa Minor-Brown, Senate Bill 300 would require crisis pregnancy centers to post signage and add disclaimers to their marketing that clearly states their facility is not licensed by the State of Delaware and employs no licensed medical providers.
Apparently this is a controversial issue, since apparently Republicans want the citizens of Delaware to be made the fool all the while being brainwashed with their anti-choice propaganda. The House and Senate passed the bill along party lines, 14-6-1 in the Senate and 23-15-3 in the House. New Republican Sean Matthews joined his brethen once again in this vote.
Crisis pregnancy centers are facilities that represent themselves as legitimate reproductive health care clinics while actually working to dissuade people from accessing abortion care and contraception, often using dangerous misinformation.
Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion by reversing their decision in Roe v. Wade. 23 states do not have laws in place protecting the right to abortion. Following a subsequent wave of state restrictions on abortion, legitimate reproductive health providers have been forced to close their doors, leaving millions of women with nowhere else to turn.
While Delaware codified the right to abortion in 2017, crisis pregnancy centers still pose a threat to women looking to access reproductive healthcare. Because crisis pregnancy centers typically provide no actual medical care, they often operate outside of state regulation and oversight, are not subject to client confidentiality laws and are not required to disclose their association with national pro-life organizations.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, public health advocates, and state attorneys general have all issued consumer alert warnings about crisis pregnancy centers to make the public more aware of their deceptive practices.
SB 300 would require crisis pregnancy centers to post 11-by-17-inch disclaimer signs in 80-point type and in multiple languages at the entrance to their facilities, as well as include the same disclaimer in print and digital advertisements. Centers that fail to post those disclaimers would face a $500 fine for their first offense and a $2,500 fine for each subsequent offense.
House No Votes - Collins Dukes Gray Hensley Hilovsky Jones-Giltner, Morris Postles Ramone Short Shupe Spiegelman Vanderwende Yearick // Matthews
Senate No Votes - Buckson Hocker Lawson Pettyjohn Richardon Wilson
House Absents or Not Voting - Lynn, Smith, Williams
Senate Absent or Not Voting - McBride
"SB 300 is a crucial step towards ensuring our communities have accurate information when seeking healthcare options. There are roughly 2,500 to 4,000 crisis pregnancy centers across the United States, often presenting themselves as clinical centers offering medical services and advice. However, they operate without the regulatory oversight, licensure, or credentialing required of healthcare facilities," said Rep. Melissa Minor Brown.
"In the past two years we have seen an extraordinary escalation in attacks on reproductive healthcare across the country, leading to fear and desperation among those who are seeking to exercise their right to choose. Crisis pregnancy centers are waiting for those people with open arms, but they are not looking to offer help. They have a hidden agenda, and they push that agenda through fear tactics and unsolicited, unsafe procedures. This legislation is essential in ensuring that those seeking reproductive healthcare are able to find accurate information and access safe medical services."
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