Pregnancy care centers at risk

Recently I was in Olympia to testify in opposition to Senate Bill 6452. I was encouraged by the turnout. Over 400 people attended the hearing and signed in on the hearing roster. Only 27 were in favor of this insidious bill. This bill seeks to impose onerous regulations on nonprofit pregnancy care centers, such as Life Services of Spokane, while explicitly excluding for-profit abortion providers.

Annually, across our state, over 60,000 individuals received care and assistance from the 44 charitable pregnancy resource centers. Over $15 million of free services were provided. No governmental funds are used and these centers are supported financially by over 500,000 individuals.

While several of the senators, including the 6th District’s Chris Marr, a co-sponsor of this bill, claim it is not their intent to put pregnancy care centers out of business, the unintended consequences will do just that. Plus, this bill is fraught with significant constitutional issues involving free speech.

Spokane is blessed to have Life Services. Make sure it remains free of government overregulation and threat of closure. Join the thousands who have already made their voices heard, and ask your state legislators to vote no on SB 6452 and HB 2837.

Jeffrey R. Smith

Chairman, Board of Directors, Life Services of Spokane

Spokane