Bill > S2522

Introduced Session

This bill provides that it is an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.), for a crisis pregnancy center to: (1) make, publish, disseminate, circulate, or place before the public, or cause, directly or indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public, in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of a notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, or poster, or over any radio station, or via the Internet, or in any other way, an advertisement, announcement or statement containing any assertion, representation, or statement with respect to pregnancy-related services or the provision of pregnancy-related services which is untrue, deceptive, or misleading; or (2) make false or misleading statements about, or misrepresent the center's intent to provide, pregnancy-related services. As defined in the bill, "crisis pregnancy center" means a facility administered by a nonprofit organization that provides a client with peer-related counseling services related to pregnancy and childbirth, including, but not limited to, referrals to non-medical services, child-rearing resources, and adoption services, but does not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy-related services. A crisis pregnancy center includes a facility that presents the appearance of a licensed health care facility by: requiring staff or volunteers to wear medical attire or uniforms and to collect from a client identifiable health information; having one or more examination rooms or semi-private rooms or areas containing medical supplies or medical instruments; or sharing physical space with a physician's office or a licensed health care facility. A crisis pregnancy center does not include an ambulatory care facility, a licensed health care facility, or a birthing facility that provides family planning services and prenatal care. The bill also defines "pregnancy-related services" as any medical services or health care counseling services related to pregnancy or pregnancy prevention, including, but not limited to, ultrasound or sonogram evaluations, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, and education and counseling on contraception and unplanned pregnancy options. A crisis pregnancy center that violates the provision of the bill is subject to all remedies and penalties available pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.). In addition, the bill provides that if a crisis pregnancy center is about to engage in, is continuing to engage in, or has engaged in conduct which is in violation of the bill, or if it is in the public interest, the Attorney General has the authority to seek and obtain an injunction prohibiting the crisis pregnancy center from advertising or providing peer-related counseling services, and may seek and obtain a court order requiring the center to take whatever remedial steps the court deems necessary to correct the adverse effects of the center's untrue, deceptive, false, or misleading advertising or statements on any client seeking pregnancy-related services.

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Teresa Ruiz (D)*,  Shirley Turner (D)*,  Raj Mukherji (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (on 02/05/2024)

Official Document