On April 8, City Council voted unanimously in favor of a new ordinance that will require limited-service pregnancy centers – or so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” – to post consumer notices explaining that they provide neither information about nor referrals for abortion or birth control.
Austin is the second city in the nation to require CPCs (unlicensed and unregulated “counseling” centers that target women who are facing unplanned pregnancies but that do not provide any medical services) to post notices clarifying what services they provide. Baltimore was the first city to pass such an ordinance (see “Making ‘Pregnancy Centers’ Tell the Truth,” April 9). Several speakers implored the council not to pass the measure – it violates their free speech and/or religious rights, several said, while others argued it was unfair because a similar notice was not required of traditional clinics, like Planned Parenthood, which do refer for or provide abortions. (In fact, the state does require abortion providers to clearly post a notice containing their state license numbers and a toll-free phone number where complaints can be made.)
Still, supporters of the measure outnumbered opponents almost two-to-one. Council Member Bill Spelman, who sponsored the ordinance, received roughly 600 e-mails from supporters of the measure and 300 from those opposed. And 43 individuals signed up in support of the measure, with just 23 in opposition.
This article appears in April 16 • 2010.