The Threat of Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Yesterday in Olympia the Senate committee on Health and Long-Term care held a hearing on SB 6452 which seeks to regulate crisis pregnancy centers in a variety of unnecessary and unconstitutional ways.

The bill, promoted by Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights Advocacy League (NARAL), would place a series of regulations on crisis pregnancy centers that would not apply to centers that offer abortion.  For those of you following along at home, yes, that is probably unconstitutional.

Bill Claims Mothers and Fathers are Unimportant

Last fall, during the statewide debate over domestic partnership, I participated in several debates discussing Referendum 71. In them, we discussed whether there is any difference between homosexual and heterosexual relationships. In support of my belief that there is, I repeatedly suggested that it is preferable for children to have both a mother and a father. To me this is self-evident, but some find it very offensive.

Planned Parenthood vs. The First Amendment?

Legislators frequently propose things that I find redundant, wasteful, or counterproductive. Then sometimes they propose things that make me wonder if I live in America or Iran. A host of legislators led by Sen. Rodney Tom and Rep. Judy Clibborn are sponsoring bills (SB 6452 and HB 2837) aimed at harassing crisis pregnancy centers and revoking the first amendment rights of anyone in them.

Crisis pregnancy centers provide baby items, referrals to adoption agencies and other social services, pregnancy tests, friendship, and sometimes ultra-sounds free of charge. The women they serve are usually unmarried and frequently very young. Those serving in crisis pregnancy centers are usually unpaid. They frequently serve their communities in this way because their own experiences allow them to relate to the challenging life situations the clinics deal with.

Why Do Legislators Hate Single Parents?

Governments supervise everything. Most of us accept it. Every time someone gets a paper cut, bills get drafted and laws get passed in an effort to prevent it from ever happening again.

Since pain and suffering are a part of the human condition and not necessarily an indication that the government failed to do its job, I cannot help but wonder at what point the government will look at a situation and conclude it is outside their jurisdiction. Or perhaps, as President Obama put it "above my pay grade."

I have generally felt that that parental discretion was something that legislators of every political philosophy could respect. After all, most people are parents and resent it when their in-laws second guess their parenting decisions, never mind the government.