By Guy Page
Progressives in the Vermont Legislature next year will once again try to ban advertising by crisis pregnancy centers that do not provide abortions, according to a Seven Days news story published today.
A bill to stop non-abortion providing pregnancy centers from promoting its services was introduced this year but didn’t advance. Sponsor Rep. Dr. George Till (D-Jericho/Underhill) is not running for re-election. However, Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (P/D-Burlington), who is not being challenged for election, told Seven Days she hopes to introduce a similar bill.
H634, introduced by physician, Proposition 5 supporter, and lawmaker George Till (D-Underhill/Jericho) proposed “to prohibit a limited services pregnancy center from disseminating any advertising about the services or proposed services performed at that center if the management of the center knows or, by the exercise of reasonable care, ought to know it is untrue or clearly designed to mislead the public about the nature of services provided.”
The bill closely resembled similar legislation in other “blue” states. Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics have claimed for many years that pregnancy centers that do not offer abortion are “limited services” and use deceptive marketing techniques. A similar bill in California was struck down by the state’s civil rights commission.
Vermont CPC not providing abortions include:
Aspire Now, Williston
Care Net Pregnancy Center, Barre
Women’s Center, Middlebury
First Step Pregnancy Clinic, Rutland
True North Pregnancy Resource Center, Bennington
Branches Pregnancy Resource Center, Brattleboro
Birthright, Burlington
Futures Pregnancy Care, Lyndonville
Critics of CPCs claim their marketing is deceptive because they do not immediately emphasize that they do not provide abortions, preferring instead to discuss services they do offer: ultrasounds, information, counseling, education, compassion.
However, CPC websites generally do clearly state that abortion is not among those services. For example, Care Net states in bold print on every page on its website: “We do not provide or refer for terminations or emergency contraception. We do not profit from any of your sexual health or pregnancy decisions.”