Great news! The Supreme Court made some big decisions today, and they were great for religious liberty!
In one huge ruling — in the case called National Institute for Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra — the SCOTUS ruled that a California law forcing pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) to advertise abortion services violated the First Amendment.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that in doing so, California “imposes an unduly burdensome disclosure requirement that will chill [PRCs’] protected speech.” Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch agreed while the Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan disagreed. PJ Media has more:
The case revolved around California’s so-called Reproductive FACT (Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency) Act. The Act mandated that any facility that provides care to pregnant women — from ultrasounds and prenatal care to counseling about contraception or even pregnancy testing — is required to post the following notice (emphasis added):
California has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services (including all FDA-approved methods of contraception), prenatal care, and abortion for eligible women. To determine whether you qualify, contact the county social services office at [insert the telephone number].
You can imagine why pro-life organizations would not want to post that on a placard. This law was enacted in October 2015, and any organization that refused to comply would be fined $500 for the first offense, then $1000 for each subsequent offense.
“In essence, the law mandates that pro-life centers become abortion referral agencies, totally against their convictions, against their foundational beliefs, compelling speech,”said Tom Glessner, NIFLA President and CEO.
No more! What a great day for life!
Image Credit: Wikipedia