Pregnancy resource centers celebrate amended Vermont law rolling back speech restrictions, drop lawsuit

Vermont has amended a law discriminating against pro-life pregnancy resource centers after Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit against the state in 2023.

Gov. Phil Scott signed S.28 on May 13, repealing portions of the two-year-old law, which deemed these centers as “limited service” providers because they do not offer abortion. The previous law also restricted the centers’ ability to promote their services by threatening fines up to $10,000 for “misleading” advertising, according to ADF’s recent press release. 

Many of these centers offer abortion reversals, where the natural hormone progesterone counteracts the first pill of the abortion drug mifepristone, according to Catholic News Agency. 

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), Aspire Now and Branches Pregnancy Resource Center partnered with ADF to sue Vermont in July 2023 for restricting the centers’ speech and services. 

“We’re pleased that Vermont recognized it needed to amend its discriminatory law that unlawfully targeted faith-based pregnancy centers and restricted their ability to speak and act according to their conscience,” ADF Legal Counsel Julia Payne Koon said of the amended law. “Pregnancy centers must be free to serve and empower women and their families by offering the support they need without fear of unjust government punishment.” 

ADF filed to dismiss the suit. 

“The state of Vermont has backed away from attacking the work of pro-life pregnancy centers,” NIFLA Vice President of Legal Affairs Anne O’Connor said in ADF’s press release. “Pregnancy centers are no longer under direct threat from the law and pro-abortion lobby in Vermont. For this, NIFLA celebrates; however, if in the future the state again decides to unconstitutionally pursue the work of pro-life pregnancy centers, NIFLA stands ready to take Vermont back to court and seek appropriate relief.”