We are SOOOOO grateful to everyone who made a call, sent an email or letter of support, or provided testimony to halt anti-abortion attacks and advance our bill to get rid of bans on health coverage for abortion. There is more work, but we have another quick and important action to take TODAY!
In recent years, a number of states have established specialty “Choose Life” license plates. The money generated from their sale directly supports the activities of anti-choice organizations known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). These fake clinics rarely have any staff with medical training. They provide biased and medically inaccurate counseling to women seeking a pregnancy test or counseling. They lie about abortion complications and guilt and shame people for even considering abortion as an option.
These bills have challenged arguing that it is unconstitutional for a state to endorse one political viewpoint over another, and that the funding of agencies affiliated with churches or religious organizations amounts to establishment of religion. Due to the harsh treatment and the deceit, some states have prohibited funding from these plates to go to a fake center.
The bill establishes a “Choose Life” plate that would fund an organization with religious affiliations called CareNet – Rhode Island that does not seem to provide the full range of counseling options to women facing unintended pregnancies or abide by appropriate medical standards of care.
TAKE ACTION:
- Send an email to the committee to oppose Senate Bill 614 and halt this inappropriate program and funding of places that are causing harm and denying medically accurate information or appropriate care to women facing difficult situations.
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EMAIL to with subject line, “OPPOSE S.614” (include name & address)
[email protected]
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Written Testimony must be submitted before 2:00 PM on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in order for it to be provided to the members of the committee at the hearing and to be included in the meeting records.
Sample message: “My name is ______. I am writing to strongly oppose S614, which would funnel state funds to fake clinics that lie to women. These centers are not licensed medical facilities, and they neither provide nor refer patients for abortion care. Instead, they actively dissuade pregnant people from seeking and obtaining abortions by manipulating and shaming them and lying about abortion complications. They rarely provide information about contraception and their information is not based on science or medicine. It is about pushing their beliefs on people in tough situations. They target their promotion in low-income neighborhoods and near college campuses – places where people facing an unintended pregnancy may be particularly challenged. It is inappropriate and incredibly concerning to have state money go to such a place. I am urging you to vote no on S614.”
Crisis pregnancy centers advertise services such like pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, and resources. Some even say they offer abortion referrals. However, in reality, they fail to provide medically accurate information and even mislead women about their abortion care options.
photo credit to Kehn Hermano