Pro-life pregnancy centers are coming under increasing pressure to promote abortion or close shop, raising thorny questions about whether governments may compel speech in the name of combating deceptive advertising.
The debate has taken center stage in Massachusetts, where the Worcester City Council is considering an ordinance to require pro-life or crisis pregnancy centers to provide abortion referrals — an effort that follows on the heels of similar new movements in Somerville, Easthampton and Cambridge.
Worcester City Councilor Thu Nguyen, who sponsored the proposed ordinance, accused some facilities of engaging in deceptive maneuvers to steer pregnant clients away from abortion.