Hawaii Pregnancy Centers Go to Court Over Law Requiring They Promote Abortions
Important case because Hawaii goes even further than California -- they are clearly singling out pregnancy centers. Kevin Theriot, counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. |
“They are requiring pregnancy centers [that] just give away diapers and baby clothes to refer women to the state, to a website that connects them with certainly abortion causing drugs, and … abortionists,” Kevin Theriot, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, told The Daily Signal in a phone interview.
“This is an important case because Hawaii goes even further than California did, and they are clearly singling out pregnancy centers,” Theriot said.
The Hawaii law is similar to a law passed in 2015 in California, which required “licensed medical centers that offer free, pro-life help to pregnant women to post a disclosure saying that California provides free or low-cost abortion and contraception services,” according to Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor’s “A Place for Women” pregnancy care center filed the lawsuit on July 12. Hawaii’s law, Senate Bill 501, went into effect July 11.
The lawsuit, Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor v. Chin, seeks that Hawaii stop the enforcement of the law and give back federal funds the state received “conditioned on the state’s commitment not to force pro-life pregnancy centers to make abortion referrals,” according to Alliance Defending Freedom.
Theriot, along with Ken Connelly, a legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, argued at U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii in Honolulu Friday morning on behalf of Hawaiian pregnancy care centers.
National Institute of Family and Life Advocates founder and President Thomas Glessner said in a statement to The Daily Signal that the law is detrimental for pro-life institutions.
“Hawaii’s threat to pro-life pregnancy care centers and medical clinics counts among the most egregious violations of constitutional religious and free speech rights in the nation,” Glessner said.
The law, Alliance Defending Freedom says, dictates that pregnancy care centers provide funding and referrals for abortion.
It also requires pregnancy care centers to display signs or provide notices that advertise that the center provides low-cost or free family planning services, which include abortion-inducing drugs, and further requires pregnancy care centers to offer contact information for those services.
Theriot said he hopes the Supreme Court will intervene in the California case, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra. The court is expected to consider taking the case in early October. He added:
“This is like the government forcing the local pacifist group to post directions to the nearest military recruiting depot,” Cathy Ruse, senior legal fellow at the Family Research Council, said in a statement provided to The Daily Signal.
She added:
“Pro-life pregnancy centers provide vital services, education, supplies, counseling, and compassionate options to women experiencing a touch pregnancy,” Israel said, adding:
“The court should immediately block the law and allow pregnancy resource centers to continue their life-saving and life-supporting work without having to go against their moral beliefs and promote the abhorrent act of abortion,” Hawkins said.
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Rachel del Guidice (@LRacheldG)is a reporter for The Daily Signal. She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Forge Leadership Network, and The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program.
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