Supreme Court To Hear Case Against California Abortion Law

CALIFORNIA -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case over California's law requiring pregnancy centers to place notices about publicly-funded abortions and contraceptives. Petitioners claim that the Reproductive FACT Act is forcing "pro-life religious licensed centers to post notices that encourage women to contact the State to receive information on free or low cost abortions."

"The Act also burdens pro-life religious unlicensed centers’ speech by requiring them to place extensive disclaimers in large fonts and in as many as 13 languages in their ads, which significantly burdens their ability to advertise," the petition reads.

The petition was filed by various groups including the Virginia-based National Institute of Family and Live Advocates and the Fallbrook Pregnancy Resource Center. The counsel for the groups is Dean Broyles, an attorney in Escondido.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit previously rejected the arguments, stating that the government could safeguard public health.

In a statement, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is the defendant in the case, said "all women should have access to the information they need when making personal healthcare decisions."

“The Reproductive FACT Act ensures that women in California receive accurate information about their healthcare options, including whether a facility is a licensed medical provider," Becerra said.

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