San Francisco's new ordinance leveled at pro-life pregnancy centers will face federal court scrutiny. The core of the lawsuit is First Amendment viewpoint discrimination.
First Resort is a chain of pro-life centers filing the case. The group's CEO Shari Plunkett claims the Pregnancy Information Disclosure and Protection Ordination was "crafted to target one or two specific organizations and carefully shelter from its scope all groups whose viewpoints the city agrees with."
Paul Suis, a longtime board member for First Resort, explains to OneNewsNow that two layers of the ordinance ensure it could only be applied to pro-life pregnancy centers and not to abortion facilities.
"There's a 14th Amendment violation of equal protection because it singles out one group and favors it over another," he adds. "Again, that's related to the viewpoint discrimination theme."
In addition, the lawsuit contends regulation of pro-life pregnancy centers is not something a city should get involved in. The City by the Bay, says the pro-life spokesman, should be familiar with that aspect.
"San Francisco recently got burned on that subject when a group tried to put on the ballot an initiative forbidding circumcision," he notes, "and that was ruled to be pre-empted by California law and not a proper subject for a municipal initiative."
Similar ordinances against pro-life centers in Baltimore were ruled unconstitutional. Suis says there are differences in the San Francisco ordinance. "However, it's still blatant and explicit viewpoint discrimination," he argues. "It's still a requirement imposed only on one side of the debate."
If San Francisco tries to enforce the ordinance before the court decides the case, attorneys will seek an injunction to halt enforcement.
In a press release, First Resort identifies Alpha Pregnancy Center as the only other organization affected by the new ordinance.
Paul Suis, a longtime board member for First Resort, explains to OneNewsNow that two layers of the ordinance ensure it could only be applied to pro-life pregnancy centers and not to abortion facilities.
"There's a 14th Amendment violation of equal protection because it singles out one group and favors it over another," he adds. "Again, that's related to the viewpoint discrimination theme."
In addition, the lawsuit contends regulation of pro-life pregnancy centers is not something a city should get involved in. The City by the Bay, says the pro-life spokesman, should be familiar with that aspect.
"San Francisco recently got burned on that subject when a group tried to put on the ballot an initiative forbidding circumcision," he notes, "and that was ruled to be pre-empted by California law and not a proper subject for a municipal initiative."
Similar ordinances against pro-life centers in Baltimore were ruled unconstitutional. Suis says there are differences in the San Francisco ordinance. "However, it's still blatant and explicit viewpoint discrimination," he argues. "It's still a requirement imposed only on one side of the debate."
If San Francisco tries to enforce the ordinance before the court decides the case, attorneys will seek an injunction to halt enforcement.
In a press release, First Resort identifies Alpha Pregnancy Center as the only other organization affected by the new ordinance.
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