Free speech: Federal court rules against Baltimore law requiring notices in pregnancy centers

A three-judge panel for the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals found that a Baltimore law requiring an anti-abortion counseling center to post notices in its waiting room that it does not include abortion or abortion referrals in its services. The judges said that the law was unconstitutional in compelling speech from a group against its core beliefs. The city also failed to bring forth any client who entered the center thinking she could obtain an abortion there. (Courthouse News Service, January 8, 2018, by Brad Kutner)

In praising the ruling, Catholic Archbishop William E. Lori, who provides facilities for the counseling centers, said,  “We are grateful to the court for this important First Amendment precedent, which notably rejects the argument that a nonprofit’s speech about important social issues constitutes commercial or professional speech.” (Catholic Philly.com, January 8, 2018, by George P. Matysek Jr. of the Catholic News Service)

Law professor Robert A. Sedler, The Conversation, January 7, 2018, writes that the U.S. Supreme Court will settle the issue in hearing a case over a California law requiring faith-based centers to post notices about state family planning and pregnancy services. Sedler thinks that the California law does not violate the First Amendment since its doesn’t force statements or opinions from the centers but only asks them to post factual information.

For related FAC coverage, click here and here.