Federal Judge Blocks Illinois Law Targeting Crisis Pregnancy Centers
The U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois has blocked a measure signed into law last week by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) that targets pro-life crisis pregnancy centers — arguing that the law would violate the First Amendment.
Crisis pregnancy centers offer services such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting classes, counseling and even resources like diapers and other necessities.
The law would have allowed the state’s attorney general to investigate crisis pregnancy centers within Illinois for consumer fraud if they are accused of supposedly deceptive practices — as many on the left allege that these pro-life pregnancy centers “trick” pregnant women into thinking they provide abortions, and somehow “trick” them into keeping their unborn children rather than killing them.
According to The Daily Wire, the law has “raised concerns that it would be used to target pro-life centers that suggest an association between abortion and breast cancer or infertility.”
If the law had gone into effect, pro-life crisis pregnancy centers that were found guilty of so-called “misinformation, deceptive practices, or misrepresentation” could have faced $50,000 in fines.
In his ruling on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston declared that the law “is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment.”
“There’s no doubt who the Attorney General wants to win or lose in the market place of ideas, but the government doesn’t get to decide that,” the Trump-appointed judge added. “The people do.”
The Thomas More Society, a conservative law firm focusing on defending religious liberty and free speech, filed the lawsuit challenging the Illinois law almost immediately after it was enacted. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, Women’s Pregnancy Services, Rockford Family Initiative, Relevant Pregnancy Options Center and the Pro-Life Action League.
Peter Breen, the executive vice president and head of litigation for the conservative law firm, released a statement following Johnston’s ruling.
“Free Speech won today in the Land of Lincoln — pro-life advocates across Illinois can breathe a sigh of relief they won’t be pursued for ‘misinformation’ by Attorney General Kwame Raoul,” the statement read.
“Across the nation, pregnancy help ministries are being discriminated against by laws that target their life-affirming work,” Breen’s statement continued. “The injunction granted today sends a strong, clear message to the country that the First Amendment protects pro-life speech.”
Meanwhile, Pritzker is “disappointed” over the judge’s ruling — blaming the “far-right” while stating that he believes that the law will ultimately be allowed to take effect to save women in the state from so-called “misinformation.”
“I’m disappointed that the far-right is interfering with the ability for women to access safe medical care without deception or lies,” the Democrat governor wrote in a statement. “This law is constitutional and I am confident that the law will ultimately be found constitutional and we’ll continue to work alongside Attorney General Raoul to ensure Illinois patients are protected from misinformation.”
