New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn and Councilwoman Jessica Lappin are pushing for legislation in the state that would mandate that crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) clearly indicate their position on abortion to patients. This would include displaying information both at the entrance and in waiting rooms to notify women that the centers do not offer abortions or emergency contraception, according to the Wall Street Journal. Currently, Baltimore and Montgomery County, Maryland, and Austin, Texas have laws similar to the one proposed. According to the New York Times, a yearlong study released by NARAL Pro-Choice New York found that CPCs offer women misinformation and medically refuted findings to promote their anti-choice agenda. Quinn told the New York Times, “I think they are deceiving women purposely…But even if you yielded that they weren’t, given how potent the emotions, the politics, isn’t it just smart for us to know who provides what and who doesn’t?” Currently, there are an estimated 3,500 CPCs nationwide, most of which are affiliated with one or more national umbrella organizations. CPCs pose as legitimate health centers and offer “free” pregnancy tests. Some CPCs coerce and intimidate women out of considering abortion as an option, and prevent women from receiving neutral and comprehensive medical advice. These clinics are typically run by anti-abortion volunteers who are not licensed medical professionals.
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