Dear Friends:
On behalf of my friends at Care Net Pregnancy Center of Santa Fe, I want to invite you to attend their Annual Fundraising Banquet on Saturday, October 5th, to benefit their centers in Santa Fe and Espanola.
For the past 10 years, Care Net Pregnancy Center of Santa Fe has been providing complimentary services to women and men facing the challenges of unplanned pregnancies. Their work has contributed greatly to the health and well-being of our communities and has empowered numerous mothers and fathers to choose life for their preborn children.
This year’s banquet will feature testimonials from clients and a special keynote from actress, Lauren Roman. Lauren is best known for her role on ABC’s “All My Children,” and her personal life story is one you do not want to miss.
If you are interested in attending the banquet, please email your name, phone number, and address to registration@SantaFePregnancy.com, or call (951) 313-0758. The event is free, but registration is required.
As Christians, we believe that every human life is a precious gift from the Lord. When we support organizations like Care Net, we put our faith into action.
I hope to see you in October!
Standing for Life,
Vince Torres
President and Executive Director
WHO: Care Net Pregnancy Center of Santa Fe/Espanola
WHAT: 10th Annual Fundraising Banquet
WHEN: Saturday, October 5, 6:00PM-9:00PM
WHERE: Santa Fe Convention Center
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” –Proverbs 31:8-9 (ESV)
Dear Friends:
This Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding the constitutionality of a California law that compels pro-life pregnancy centers to speak against their own mission by promoting abortion.
There are approximately 200 pro-life pregnancy centers in California that provide free resources to women, men, and families facing unplanned pregnancies – resources like ultrasounds, clothing, parenting classes, and much more. They also provide referrals for other available services including housing, career development, counseling, and adoption.
However, one referral you will not find at these pregnancy centers is a referral for an abortion. Sadly, in 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the so-called “Reproductive FACT Act” to target pro-life pregnancy centers and require them to advertise for the abortion industry. Specifically, the law requires these centers to post a disclosure, advising women on how they can obtain a state-sponsored abortion.
This week, I contacted the Executive Director of Care Net Pregnancy Center of Santa Fe, Roberta Cheek, and requested her thoughts on the California law and its potential impact on life-affirming organizations.
“At its core, this is a First Amendment, freedom of speech issue,” Roberta stated. “As a pro-life, option pregnancy center, our mission is to promote a culture of life by providing women and families with support, resources, and accurate information on abortion risks so they can make an informed decision regarding their pregnancy. Forcing pregnancy centers like ours to refer women to abortion providers would contradict the very reason for our existence.”
Imagine the American Lung Association being forced to advertise cigarettes. That would be outrageous!
Friends – this law is not only just as outrageous, but it is an affront to our First Amendment. Bottom line – the government does not have the power to compel anyone to speak a message they disagree with. That is why Family Policy Alliance joined the effort, led by California Family Council, to produce and present a powerful legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of this important case. In short, the filed amicus brief affirms support for the constitutional right of pro-life organizations not to be compelled to engage in speech that violates their conscience, religious beliefs, and mission statements.
The reality is this – if our pro-life pregnancy centers lose this case, we will all lose, because if government can compel their speech, then our individual Freedom of Speech is also at risk!
Something to think about: In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court stated, “[t]he government may not…compel the endorsement of ideas that it approves.”
Something to pray for: Please pray that the U.S. Supreme Court maintains that precedent and that a majority of the Justices ultimately rule against this egregious California law.
Standing for Religious Freedom,
Vince Torres
President and Executive Director
By Stephanie Curry, an attorney and policy manager for Family Policy Alliance
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear its first abortion-related case since the appointment of Neil Gorsuch. The case, NIFLA v. Becerra, will have enormous implications for the nation and the pro-life movement. As we discussed in the article “Should Pregnancy Centers Be Forced to Become Abortion Advertisers?,” the major question Supreme Court Justices will be addressing is whether the state of California can force pro-life, crisis pregnancy centers to advertise state-sponsored abortion clinics.
There are well over 3,000 crisis pregnancy centers throughout the U.S. that provide free resources to women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. These centers support the life of the mother and child by providing free resources like ultrasounds, maternity clothing, baby clothes, parenting classes and much more.
One service most pregnancy centers provide, which has been the subject of this recent controversy, are referrals. Pregnancy centers offer referrals for housing, career development, counseling or adoption.
But one referral you won’t find at most pregnancy centers is a referral for an abortion. The mission of most pregnancy resource centers is to provide encouragement, love, and support to a woman who is experiencing anxiety or fear because of an unplanned pregnancy. These centers fill in a gap offering prenatal care and real family planning services to help women that might feel their only alternative is an abortion.
Yet, in October 2015, California’s “Reproductive FACT Act” was enacted, requiring that life-supporting pregnancy centers provide women and families a referral to state-sponsored abortion clinics. Pro-life pregnancy centers would also be required to post large signs on their walls offering “free or low-cost access” to abortions. If the pregnancy centers refuse to post a sign, they could be fined and sued by the State of California. Many pregnancy centers are faith-based, and their very mission is to protect the life of the baby by providing referrals for alternatives to abortion, like adoption.
It is not only outrageous, but also unthinkable – based on our First Amendment – that pro-life organizations can be forced by the state to promote values that directly oppose their very reason for being.
That’s why Family Policy Alliance and dozens of our state allies joined in producing and presenting a powerful legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in advance of this case being heard. That effort was led by California Family Council, our allied organization in the Golden State.
As our legal brief states: “It is hard to imagine a greater imposition on individual conscience. It is hard to imagine a more repugnant form of forced speech” than one that forces life-giving organizations to give referrals to abortion clinics.
We stand with our state allies to fight for religious freedom and the rights of organizations like NIFLA to be free to practice their First Amendment rights. We especially stand for the right to life and the ability of pregnancy centers to strengthen families. For many years, Family Policy Alliance and our state allies have fought in state legislatures to protect and honor the work of pro-life pregnancy centers—and with your help, we won’t stop advocating for these amazing ministries.
What You Can Do: Please pray for the Supreme Court hearing today. Pray that a majority of the justices will rule based on the weight of the legal arguments in the Alliance’s brief and in the oral presentation by our ally, attorney Michael Farris with Alliance Defending Freedom. Please also continue to partner with Family Policy Alliance as we work to protect prolife organizations in your state and every state.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case with enormous implications for California and the nation. At issue is whether California pro-life pregnancy centers can be forced to promote abortion.
There are well over 150 pregnancy centers in California that provide free resources to women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. These centers support the life of the mother and child by providing free resources like ultrasounds, maternity clothing, baby clothes, parenting classes and much more.
One service most pregnancy centers provide, which has been the subject of much controversy, are referrals. Referrals might be offered for housing, career development, counseling or adoption.
But one referral you won’t find at pregnancy centers is a referral for an abortion. The mission of most pregnancy resource centers is to provide encouragement, love, and support to a woman who is experiencing anxiety or fear because of an unplanned pregnancy. These centers fill in a gap offering prenatal care and real family planning services to help women that might feel their only alternative is an abortion.
Yet, in October 2015, California’s “Reproductive FACT Act” was enacted, requiring that life-supporting pregnancy centers provide women and families a referral to state-sponsored abortion clinics. Pro-life pregnancy centers would be required to post large signs on their walls offering “free or low-cost access” to county-sponsored abortion clinics. If the pregnancy centers refuse to post a sign, they could be fined and sued by the State of California. Many pregnancy centers are faith-based, and their very mission is to protect the life of the baby by providing referrals for alternatives to abortion, like adoption.
It is not only outrageous – but also unthinkable based on our First Amendment – that pro-life organizations would be forced by the state to promote values that directly oppose their very reason for being.
That’s why Family Policy Alliance and dozens of our state allies joined in producing and presenting a powerful legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in advance of this case being heard. That effort was led by California Family Council, our allied organization in the Golden State.
California Family Council, which opposed the legislation in Sacramento, has engaged the full force of our alliance to sign onto an amicus brief to the Supreme Court supporting the constitutional right of pro-life organizations not to be compelled to engage in speech that violates their conscience, religious beliefs and mission statements. As the amicus states: “It is hard to imagine a greater imposition on individual conscience. It is hard to imagine a more repugnant form of forced speech” than one that forces life-giving organizations to give referrals for abortion clinics. Family Policy Alliance signed on to this legal brief, alongside 39 other state family councils.
Jonathan Keller, President of California Family, stated: “Let’s hope and pray the U.S. Supreme Court justices follow the California court’s lead and strike AB 775 [FACT Act] down as a violation of free speech rights.”
What You Can Do: Please pray for the Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday. Pray that a majority of the justices will rule based on the weight of the legal arguments in the Alliance’s brief and in the oral presentation by our ally, attorney Michael Farris with Alliance Defending Freedom. Please also continue to partner with Family Policy Alliance as we work to protect prolife organizations in your state and every state.
By Brittany Jones, Policy Manager
Can the government force a private entity to speak when the thing they are being forced to promote goes directly against their core beliefs—and even their very reason for existence?
That is what the Supreme Court will be deciding this March in a major case called NIFLA v. Becerra. In California, crisis pregnancy centers are being targeted for their message that all life is precious. California’s government has demonstrated clear bias in favor of abortion and is now forcing these pregnancy centers to display advertising for abortion services.
In 2015, the Reproductive FACT Act was passed, requiring that private pregnancy centers advertise taxpayer-funded abortion to the women entering the facilities. Presumably, this Act applies to all facilities that provide care to pregnant women, but in reality the bill only affects crisis pregnancy centers. Ironically, the Act exempts all facilities that are California government insurance providers – which includes all abortion facilities.
Our ally, California Family Council, has been fighting this law since the beginning. Family Policy Alliance, together with over 40 of our state-based family policy allies, have joined forces to submit an amicus brief in this major Supreme Court case on behalf of the pregnancy centers.
The Supreme Court allows entities to file briefs in support of a party in a case. These briefs are known as amicus briefs and are intended to give justices a fuller understanding of the viewpoints on either side of the issue. These can be very important in the decision-making process for justices. In fact, our amicus brief in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, another major abortion-related case from 2016, was cited in Justice Alito’s dissent. These seemingly small documents can have a great effect on the outcome of important cases.
The brief argues that pregnancy centers should not be forced to violate their religious beliefs by conspicuously promoting something they believe is morally wrong and sinful – the killing of a preborn baby. It also argues that the state is compelling speech unconstitutionally. The speech of private entities ought to be protected and only compelled in certain instances. In this case, there is no justification to compel private speech, especially when it interferes a religious belief. The Act is forcing pro-life clinics to essentially become advertisers for the very thing they are fighting against.
We just concluded Sanctity of Human Life month in January, but that does not mean we should stop fighting for the right to life for every child! Please partner with Family Policy Alliance, and our ally in your state, as we advance these critical human rights—the right to life and the right to freely live according to your beliefs.
Florida Governor urged to sign HB 1411 bill into law.
The Florida Legislature passed HB 1411, a bill that cuts state funding to abortion facilities, including Planned Parenthood.
If signed into law, the money that would have gone to Planned Parenthood now goes to hundreds of deserving low-cost community health clinics and women’s health centers.
“Republicans in the Florida Legislature are to be commended,” said John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, “for showing leadership and for doing the right thing by passing this historic piece of legislation.”
The bill now goes to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature. If signed, Florida would join Texas, Utah, Kansas, New Hampshire, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana in defunding Planned Parenthood.
“On behalf of thousands of Floridians who object to their taxes going to fund Planned Parenthood,” Stemberger said, “I continue to urge Gov. Scott to sign this good bill into law.”