Press Releases
06/27/2018
Gov. Malloy Calls for Legislation to Ensure Women Receive Accurate Information on Medical Options in Response to Pregnancy Center Ruling
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to adopt legislation during the upcoming legislative session in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in NIFLA v. Becerra to ensure that women who seek counseling for pregnancy options receive complete and accurate information about available services. The court in yesterday’s 5-4 ruling struck down a California law regarding “crisis pregnancy centers,” which are often unlicensed facilities that purport to offer pregnancy services but refuse to inform clients about safe, legal, readily-available, and low-cost family planning options, including abortion services.
“Crisis pregnancy centers are often intentionally located near college campuses, in low-income communities, and in communities of color, posing as legitimate health care providers when they are anything but,” Governor Malloy said. “Rather than giving women accurate information about their options, pregnancy centers regularly provide an inaccurate and incomplete picture, refusing to even discuss a woman’s legally-protected right to a safe, low-cost, readily-available abortion. This is particularly troubling because pregnancy centers often masquerade as full-service women’s healthcare providers and engage in false and deceptive advertising practices. Make no mistake, the Supreme Court’s ruling is an affront to women’s reproductive rights, but I believe after reviewing the decision that significant room remains for Connecticut to step up and protect women from the predatory practices of these sham facilities.”
The Governor is encouraging legislation that takes the following actions:
- Bans false and deceptive advertising practices.
- Requires all providers to offer information regarding how to access comprehensive reproductive health care upon request.
- Requires crisis pregnancy centers to disclose to individuals seeking health care that they do not have licensed medical providers on staff.
“Yesterday, five male justices tried to say that it’s okay for fake women’s health centers to lie to women,” Sarah Croucher, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, said. “These aren’t the values of Connecticut. The critical fact remains that individuals across the state are being deceived when they seek out medical care. We remain committed to ensuring that women who are pregnant or think they might be have access to comprehensive, medically accurate health care options without deception or shame. I hope that all of our pro-choice majority in the legislature will stand with us so that we can end the lies.”
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