Since the demise of Roe v. Wade, MA state and local elected officials and activist groups have declared war on pro-life pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) that help women and babies in need. MFI fought an ordinance in Easthampton for over a year before winning a decided victory. But this fight is far from over.
Now, pro-abortion activists are trying to target pro-life PRCs in Worcester. At the direction of the City Council, Worcester’s city solicitor drafted two proposed ordinances that would trample on the free speech rights of PRCs.
One proposed ordinance would fine PRCs hundreds of dollars for engaging in “deceptive advertising” while giving Planned Parenthood free rein, while another would force PRCs to put unnecessary disclaimers on everything they publish.
There’s only one problem for the pro-abortion activists: Even the city solicitor has stated publicly that he does not believe that these ordinances are constitutional.
As the solicitor pointed out, similar measures have been passed across the country, only to be struck down in federal court. The states that have passed them have had to pay the legal fees of the PRCs that stood up for their constitutional rights, sometimes to the tune of millions of dollars.
Nevertheless, some on the Worcester City Council seem determined to pass an ordinance to take down these pro-life centers. MFI recently sent the Council a letter explaining why that would be a bad idea, which you can read it bellow.
MFI is working alongside its national and state partners to make sure that the Worcester City Council does not pass these unconstitutional, unnecessary, and unethical ordinances.
We encourage all MA residents, whether you live in Worcester or not, to call or email the Worcester City Council and communicate our shared concerns. We would suggest that you contact the three members who are on the fence regarding this issue: George Russell, Sarai Rivera, and Mayor Petty.
We also encourage you to attend the City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 12th at 6:30pm. That night, the City Council may take a vote on this issue. We understand that four councilors support our shared position, which means we need two out of the three on the fence to vote to protect pregnancy resource centers. There will be an in-person and virtual option for attendance. If you live in Worcester, we especially encourage you to attend in person and give testimony. Just like in Easthampton, we can win this battle.
Here is the information for the Zoom attendance option:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/91727574825
Phone Number: (929) 205 6099
Access Code: 917 2757 4825
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