Pro-Life Doctors, Pregnancy Centers Fight Illinois Law That Forces Them to Promote Abortion
Pro-Life attorneys representing the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, three pro-life pregnancy centers, and a doctor and her medical practice in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois are engaging in oral arguments taking place Wednesday through Friday before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Clients represented by ADF will be on the stand on the first day of the three-day trial.
In 2016, Illinois enacted SB 1564, a law that forces pro-life doctors and pregnancy centers to promote abortion, regardless of their ethical or moral views. It requires pro-life pregnancy centers, medical facilities, and physicians who conscientiously object to involvement in abortions to adopt policies that provide women who ask for abortions with a list of providers “they reasonably believe may offer” them. A federal court issued an injunction to halt enforcement of the law in 2017, which has stood for six years.
The offending law, known as SB 1564, requires those who conscientiously object to involvement in abortion to adopt policies that provide women who ask for abortions with a list of providers “they reasonably believe may offer” them. There is no requirement for abortion vendors to provide life-affirming resources or referrals. In 2107, a federal court issued a statewide preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of the law, which has stood for six years. The case now proceeds to a bench trial before United States District Court Judge Iain D. Johnston.
Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com
“No one should be forced to express a message that violates their convictions,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot, who will be arguing before the court on behalf of the pregnancy centers and doctor. “The government can’t compel medical professionals to choose between violating the law and violating the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm. Illinois’s law targets pro-life pregnancy centers and doctors specifically because they conscientiously object to abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that forcing people to promote abortion is unconstitutional in NIFLA v. Becerra. We urge the court to finally put this issue to rest and allow pro-life pregnancy centers to continue their life-affirming work without fear of government punishment.”
“Our clients have spent decades helping women choose life for their unborn babies,” explained Thomas Olp, Thomas More Society Executive Vice President. “This law targets pro-life physicians and pregnancy centers, which do not refer for abortion, and whose pro-life mission is to advise clients of abortion alternatives such as parenting and adoption. But the law forces center personnel to discuss supposed ‘benefits’ of abortion with clients and, upon request, to refer them to an abortion provider or give information about such providers. This law only targets those who, like our clients, conscientiously oppose discussing so-called benefits of abortion and referring for abortion and leaves non-conscientious objectors unregulated. Our clients view this as a nefarious attempt by the abortion industry to protect its abortion business by silencing pro-life physicians and pregnancy resource centers, that, without a profit motive, try to convince pregnant women to choose life for their unborn child—not abortion.”
The post Pro-Life Doctors, Pregnancy Centers Fight Illinois Law That Forces Them to Promote Abortion appeared first on LifeNews.com.