In a major victory for pregnancy resource centers in Washington, and a major defeat for the abortion industry, HB 1366 failed to make it out of the House of Representatives before the 5:00 deadline yesterday.
The bill, which would have created numerous regulations for pro-life pregnancy resource centers based solely on their unwillingness to perform or refer for abortions, has been one of the most hotly contested bills so far this session.
The bill was criticized because of its requirements that pregnancy centers notify the public of services they do not provide. No other entity in Washington is forced to make similar disclosures.
The constitutionality of the bill has been widely debated as well given the fact that the regulations of the bill could be avoided simply by deciding to perform or refer for abortions.
In January, a federal judge in Maryland found a similar bill to be an unconstitutional.
Approximately 750 pregnancy center supporters travelled to Olympia from throughout Washington State to attend the public hearing on this bill in the House. Even yesterday, pregnancy center supporters filled the House galleries, decorated in purple scarves. Dozens of legislators wore them as well on the House floor in the final hours before cutoff.
While the failure of this bill to pass the House before the cut-off is a strong indicator that the bill will not become law this year, nothing in Olympia is ever final until the session is adjourned. You are urged to remember that even if you aren’t interested in politics, politics is interested in you.
Thank you for doing your part to stand with us in support of pregnancy centers, freedom, and common sense.
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