Injunction halts new law aimed at ending deceptive practices at Illinois pregnancy centers
Source: Rockford Register-Star
Injunction halts new law aimed at ending deceptive practices at Illinois pregnancy centers
Chris Green, Rockford Register Star
Updated Fri, August 4, 2023 at 10:50 AM EDT·2 min read
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of Illinois' newly signed Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act.
"The bill is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment," U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston said Thursday in Rockford's federal courthouse.
The act, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week, bans crisis pregnancy centers from using "misinformation, deceptive practices, or misrepresentation" in order to interfere with access to abortion services or emergency contraception. Violators faced up to $50,000 fines.
Johnston listened to over four hours of testimony from anti-abortion advocates during an emergency hearing Thursday afternoon. Witnesses said law has had a chilling effect on their rights to free speech and expression and their ability to distribute literature that identifies alternatives to abortion.
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