Under the guise of stopping deceptive business practices, Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly have introduced and passed bills targeting pro-life pregnancy centers.
In February, Democratic legislators introduced two bills that would hurt pregnancy centers, including the Waterleaf Women’s Center, where I work. State Democrats sponsored the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act” in matching bills HB 2463 and SB 1909. One bill, SB 1909, passed the state Senate on Friday. The state House has not yet voted on its bill.
The act’s stated purpose is to protect women against “deceptive, fraudulent, and misleading practices” as they make “autonomous” decisions about their “reproductive health.” Under the act, when it “appears” to the attorney general a violation has occurred, a pregnancy center is subject to fines of up to $50,000.
Witness slips — which give citizens and organizations in Illinois the right to publicly voice their opinions on legislation — overwhelmingly opposed the Senate bill by a tally of 8,725 to 2,652 at deadline. Yet the bill passed the Senate executive committee on Wednesday and the full Senate on Friday.
When Democrats introduced the bill, criticisms immediately began. Writing at the Illinois Family Institute, Jonathan Alban cited the act’s “specious use of language” and the attempt to “punish pregnancy centers … for their unwillingness to commit murder.”
“This act is intended to shut us down. Never in our 14-year history have I seen anything so shocking,” said Kelly Rozanski, board president and co-founder of Waterleaf Women’s Center in Aurora.
“Clinics like
