Court voids Baltimore law requiring 'no abortion' disclaimers at clinics

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters




JANUARY 5, 2018 / 2:49 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO
Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Friday declared unconstitutional a Baltimore law requiring pregnancy clinics that do not offer or refer women for abortions to post signs disclosing that fact in their waiting rooms.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 3-0 that the law violated the First Amendment free speech rights of the Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, a Christian nonprofit that provides prenatal services and counsels women on abortion alternatives.

Maryland’s largest city argued that its 2009 law was meant to address deceptive advertising and reduce the potential health risks from waiting too long to have an abortion.

Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, however, wrote for the Richmond, Virginia-based appeals court that Baltimore’s approach amounted to “too loose a fit” with those ends.






Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-baltimore-abortion/court-voids-baltimore-law-requiring-no-abortion-disclaimers-at-clinics-idUSKBN1EU1X1

[uppityperson]

1. That's too bad. I know people who've run afoul of those places

They can be very manipulative and guilt inducing without offering any real assistance.

[iluvtennis]

5. Indeed.

[Ken Burch]

2. So..."free speech" now means the right to deceive women who seek abortions?

[christx30]

7. If Burger King has to post nutrition information

at their stores to not deceive consumers, I don't see what's wrong with the law. The conservatives love their abortion laws, and call them "informed concent". This is the same thing.

[Ken Burch]

8. Shit, don't remind T___p that Burger King has to do that.

He's getting rid of all the regs, remember?

When he's done their motto will go from "Have It Your Way" to "It MIGHT Not Be Gerbil Meat..."

[christx30]

9. Of course he already knows about it.

He is, after all, a stable genius. He said it himself. I mean, he couldn't say it if it weren't true, right?

[Ken Burch]

3. NARAL and Planned Parenthood should have informational pickets outside these places

where the picketers would hold up signs saying "This Clinic Does Not Perform Abortions" and "This Clinic Is Misleading You".

If the anti-choicers have the right to picket PP and harass people going inside, pro-choicers therefore have the right to peacefully stand in front of THESE clinics and respectfully inform women that they're being lied to.

[groundloop]

4. Absolutely. IMO the courts have WAY overstepped the intention of 1st Amendment

I can't for an instant believe that the framers of the Bill of Rights having in mind that it's OK for healthcare providers to mislead their patients, just as I can't believe they'd ever think it was OK for a 'news' organization to knowingly spread lies. Our constitution is being twisted around, little by little, to suit big money interests.

[jmowreader]

6. Better idea

Require all clinics that offer or refer women for abortions to post signs disclosing that fact on their front doors. If you are seeking abortion care and you don't see the sign, turn around and leave.

On edit: The anti-abortion crowd already knows which clinics do abortions. Everyone else should have the same protection.