NYC Council sets example with Fake Clinic legislation

Crisis Pregnancy Centers go to great lengths to making women think you are walking into an office where you can get medical advice from professionals, talk about all of your options when facing an unplanned pregnancy, perhaps even see a doctor. But that will not happen behind their doors.

Despite the fact that they appear to be very clinical. Despite the fact that they may be located near a comprehensive clinic, or in a medical complex, or that they may wear a lab coat.

That's why we started the Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics. That's why Austin, TX and Baltimore, MD have passed legislation requiring CPCs clearly post on their doors the services they do and do not provide. That's why NARAL NY has done extensive investigative work to provide a report in NYC that documents the deception and misinformation women are subject to in a fake clinic.

In October, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Councilmember Jessica S. Lappin introduced a bill similar to those passed in Austin and Baltimore. In order to distinguish between comprehensive clinics, the bill defines CPCs as "limited-service centers" and would apply only to counseling centers that do not provide and/or refer for abortions or FDA-approved contraception. This disclosure would have to be provided on their door in English and Spanish. This bill is particularly strong because it goes even farther to require CPCs to include the same disclosure in their advertising.

If you're interested in helping to fight fake clinics on your campus or community, contact us at campusteam@feminist.org.

This post is part of the November 2010 ezine. To subscribe to the monthly ezine, click here.