So-called crisis pregnancy centers can now face lawsuits if they engage in “deceptive acts” aimed at deterring women from seeking abortions under a new law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday.
They advertise services such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and even material help like baby formula, diapers and parenting classes.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul pushed for both expansions of the state’s consumer fraud law, which allows anyone – including the attorney general’s office – to file suit against CPCs. Suits filed by the attorney general’s office are likely to make the biggest impact, although Raoul declined to discuss whether his staff is currently considering lawsuits against any CPCs whose tactics have already been reported to his office.
Within an hour of Pritzker’s signature on the bill Thursday, anti-abortion groups filed a lawsuit against“This is a blatant attempt to chill and silence pro-life speech under the guise of consumer protections,” Thomas More Society Vice President Peter Breen – a former GOP state lawmaker – said in a news release.
At Thursday’s news conference, Abortion rights organizer Alicia Hurtado said clients of their group, the Chicago Abortion Fund, have experienced treatment from CPCs ranging from religious shaming to bad medical information. They also said CAF’s helpline has heard from clients who missed their appointments at abortion clinics in Illinois after being lured into mobile units run by CPCs that park outside of abortion care providers.
CPCs range from volunteer-run outfits that can’t offer much more than counseling to facilities with licensed medical professionals on staff who can perform exams.
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