Update on HB 1366

Friday, 11 February 2011, Action Alert

Action Alert from Heartbeat International

Surprised and disappointed!

The Pregnancy Help Centers in Washington State are in a fight for their lives. Yesterday, they lost a round. We are discouraged but not despairing. We are disappointed, but ready to fight on for our right to provide free services to women, freely, as we deem best, as neighbors helping neighbors.

The Washington State House Health & Wellness Committee passed HB 1366, in a straight party-line vote. HB 1366 slanders pregnancy help workers as not being truthful and forces them to advertise services they do not provide. It demands centers post signs saying, among other things, that they do not provide or refer for abortion. We know of no other business, profit or non-profit, required to advertise what they do not provide.

The bill is most likely headed to the House floor for final vote. It still could be derailed by the Rules Committee. More detailed information and reaction is available. But in summary, "The committee made no effort to respond to serious concerns regarding the unconstitutional 'forced speech' and 'viewpoint discrimination' provisions. They are fully aware that a similar bill in Baltimore was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in Maryland, and that Rob McKenna, our Attorney General, indicated that he thought this bill was even more clearly in violation of the First Amendment than the Baltimore ordinance."

Thank you for praying. God did not bring us the victory we hoped for yesterday. But let us fight on though prayer and help in every way we can. This battle is part of a nationwide strategy that is coming to your neighborhood soon, if it is allowed to succeed in places like Washington State.

Your co-laborer in the Great Work,

Rev. John Ensor, VP for Mission Advancement

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