LifeNews - Judge Halts New York City Law Attacking Pregnancy Centers

By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com

A judge has issued a ruling granting a preliminary injunction prohibiting a new pro-abortion law from taking effect in New York City that places hefty restrictions on pregnancy centers helping women avoid abortions. Federal Judge William Pauley issued the ruling this afternoon, saying he agreed with pregnancy centers that the law is unconstitutionally vague and that it would present a discriminatory enforcement because it did not also apply to centers that do abortions.

Judge Pauley, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, concluded the law violates free speech saying the law's "over-expansiveness is evident from its very language." He was especially critical of the City’s desire to single-out crisis pregnancy centers with the new law. . . .

Officials with the American Center for Law and Justice also filed a federal lawsuit challenging the ordinance. The ACLJ represents numerous crisis pregnancy centers and contends the law violates the U.S. Constitution as well as the New York State Constitution.

"This is a resounding victory underscoring what we have argued all along – this law which forces crisis pregnancy centers to adopt and express views about abortion and contraception that they strongly disagree with is constitutionally flawed," said CeCe Heil, Senior Counsel of the ACLJ. "The court clearly understood that this law punishes pro-life advocates. We're confident that this law will never see the light of day and that the constitutional protections afforded to crisis pregnancy centers will be protected." . . .

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