California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently served investigatory subpoenas on at least 12 pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) demanding detailed information about how they use ultrasounds. Life Legal is representing 9 of the centers against this unwarranted government persecution.
Earlier this year, California legislators passed a new law attempting to limit the ability of pro-life pregnancy centers to perform ultrasounds. The centers served by Bonta either fall under an exception to the law or do not provide ultrasounds at all – yet they were all still forced to file a response to the burdensome subpoenas. Moreover, Bonta’s subpoenas demanded that PRCs provide the names and license numbers of anyone performing ultrasounds in their centers, which is intimidating for nurses who donate their time to help women. The centers were grateful that we prepared and filed their responses to the subpoenas and assured them that they should not fear the Attorney General’s harassment, as they are operating within the parameters of the law.
This is not the first time California has targeted pregnancy centers. You may remember that in 2015, the state tried to compel pro-life pregnancy centers to refer women for free, taxpayer-funded abortions. Thankfully, the law was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2018 in NIFLA v. Becerra. Life Legal filed an amicus brief in support of the pregnancy centers in that case.
So why would the Attorney General attack pregnancy centers that fully comply with the law, provide millions of dollars in goods and services to their communities, and do not impose any costs on taxpayers? PRCs protect the well-being of mothers and their babies – but they pose a threat to the livelihood of abortionists. Abortion is a multi-billion dollar industry that funnels tens of millions of dollars to Democrat candidates, including Rob Bonta, who are then beholden to the machinations of the abortion lobby.
Ultrasounds have proven effective at helping mothers decide to choose life for their babies. According to a 2020 report, “75 percent of women at risk for abortion who viewed their ultrasound at a PHC [Pregnancy Help Center] made a decision for life for their child.” Over one million babies have been saved over the past 15 years through the pregnancy center network Care-Net alone.
This represents a loss of over $700 million in lost abortion revenue for abortionists – and the abortion cartel ALWAYS is out for blood.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t fight back. In addition to representing pregnancy resource centers, Life Legal is also challenging a law that prohibits insurance co-pays and out-of-pocket costs for abortion, but does not offer the same financial benefit for pregnancy and childbirth. The law discriminates against women who choose to carry their babies to term and effectively subsidizes abortionists. And in 2022, we successfully sued Bonta to strike down provisions in a law that would have criminalized most sidewalk counseling.
“Small things done with great love will change the world.” Mother Teresa