Washington D.C., Feb 4, 2010 / 04:20 am
The Montgomery County Council in Maryland on Tuesday voted to require pregnancy counseling centers to post a disclaimer saying they do not have medical professionals on staff. Pro-life advocates said the centers are being unfairly targeted because they do not provide abortion or contraception.
The county council approved the new regulation by a 7-2 vote. The rule also requires centers to post notices encouraging women to consult a licensed health care provider.
Backers of the proposal said it was intended to address “misleading information from opponents of abortion rights,” the Washington Post reports.
The Archdiocese of Washington, which supports four pregnancy centers in the county, charged that the proposal “unfairly targets” pregnancy resource centers, saying they provide a “valuable safety net” of material support and referrals, but not medical care, for pregnant women in need.