Today, this proposed law was approved by the designated Assembly Committee in a 4-2 vote. It will now go to the full Assembly for final vote. It will also be submitted to the appropriate NJ State Senate committee. It remains crucial for everyone to reach out to the State Senator and both Assembly Members representing your district before this bill is presented to the full Assembly and Senate. I will provide updates and alerts as necessary. Your involvement is essential in safeguarding these Crisis Pregnancy Centers.
If this bill becomes law, Crisis Pregnancy Centers that do not refer clients for or perform abortions can face civil and criminal penalties for “Consumer Fraud”. The new law will presume that any person who truthfully advisies a pregnant woman of the physical and psychological risks of abortion, or of better alternatives, is making “untrue, deceptive, false, or misleading advertising or statements”.
The bill was written at the urging of Planned Parenthood. The bill authorizes the NJ Attorney General to bring a lawsuit against the pregnancy center for violating the Consumer Fraud Act. The bill permits civil penalties to be determined by a court and also gives the Attorney General very broad authority to essentially shut down the pregnancy center “when it shall appear to the Attorney General that a crisis pregnancy center is about to engage in, is continuing to engage in, or has engaged in conduct which is in violation” of the intent of the Act.
I am continually astonished by New Jersey’s persistent and assertive pro-abortion position. Frankly, I find it appalling and repugnant. Recall that at the close of 2022, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs issued a consumer alert targeting Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Please find the consumer alert attached. 2022-1207_crisis-pregnancy-centers.pdf
On December 7, 2022,
AG Platkin Announces Actions to Protect Reproductive Health Care Providers and Those Seeking Reproductive Care in New Jersey. It was a multifaceted approach with many things including going after the Crisis Pregnancy centers.
- Consumer Alert Regarding Crisis Pregnancy Centers. A Division of Consumer Affairs consumer alert that warns the public about “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” (“CPCs”), which are organizations that seek to prevent individuals from accessing abortion care, sometimes by providing false or misleading information about the safety and legality of abortion.
At this time there are approximately 50 Crisis Pregnancy Centers in New Jersey. When the State went after the Crisis Pregnancy Centers back in 2022, 7 of the 50 sued the State in order to defend their organizations. They had no choice but to Stand up to this bully of a Governor Phil Murphy. A 2022 Report published by Charlotte Lozier Institute and CareNet shows that Pregnancy centers in NJ served 23,288 women, men, youth and families in 2022, providing free services and materials valued at over $3 million. Unlike many abortion clinics, these centers are not funded by taxpayer dollars, but by private donations and staffed largely by volunteers. Support included 6,872 ultrasounds performed by registered nurses or medical sonographers and 8,713 free pregnancy tests. Most abortion facilities charge women for similar services.
It is regrettable that lawmakers would propose such legislation at the behest of Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion organizations, which aim to limit options for pregnant women. These groups seek to impose penalties on centers that offer genuine alternatives that do not place a financial burden on taxpayers.
It is important to review the proposed bill and contact your local Senator and Assembly members to urge them to vote “NO” on this legislation. This action is crucial to protect one of the most essential nonprofit organizations in our state from undue pressure. Show your support for this organization, and if you are unfamiliar with the valuable services they provide to our communities, I encourage you to visit them.
It is imperative that we take immediate action to increase awareness and compel legislators to advocate for the future families of New Jersey. Have the leaders of New Jersey entirely forsaken their ethical obligations to safeguard innocent lives and assist families in need? It is crucial to pose these significant questions during your calls to them. Urge them to cast a “NO” vote on this bill! Additionally, it is essential to express gratitude to those who support life and families in New Jersey.
Ethel Hermenau, Prolife Advocate
