Advertsing for EMC Frontline Pregnancy Center
New York City is taking expected steps to restrict speech of pro-life pregnancy centers, but pro-lifers are fighting the suggested measures.
Chris Slattery runs many of the Expectant Mother Care FrontLine Pregnancy Centers (EMC) in New York and tells OneNewsNow the city council did not get away with its attempted slam dunk in favor of the measure. "Over 50 pro-lifers came out in strength from all over the country to defend our work," he reports.
The proposed bill is designed to shut down pro-life centers by crippling them with requirements to post disclaimers that will be monitored by the Department of Consumer Affairs. In bold letters, both in English and in Spanish, crisis-pregnancy centers must make it known "that we don't do abortions or refer for them, we don't do contraceptives or refer for them," and they must display the days the doctors are not physically at the clinics.
But Slattery adds that "they also have onerous confidentiality restrictions that don't even allow us to report rape to the police or uncovering child abuse to child abuse hotlines." Fines for violating the ordinance range from $200 to $2,500 apiece.
Council Member Jessica Lappin, the bill's primary sponsor, says the legislation is imperative to protect women who go to crisis-pregnancy centers without realizing the mission is to counsel against abortion. Yet at the same time, abortion clinics are not regulated. So the New York pro-lifer believes the rules are unconstitutional, which is why he plans to fight against approval.
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
Publish Date: November 26, 2010
