Fake clinics, “Crisis Pregnancy Centers”, are run by anti-abortion groups often staffed with fake people who pretend to have medical training who offer “free” sonograms, where the results are often faked to imply the woman is much further along than she is. These “clinics” aren’t licensed and completely unregulated. The woman who go to these centers are told outright lies about “fetal pain”, that she will never bear children, that she’ll get breast cancer, and in some cases, even if the woman is in an abusive relationship, they will tell her to stay put.
Samantha Bee did a good expose on them:
In any other nation in the civilized world, these clinics would be raided and the people behind the charade arrested for fraud and endangering women’s health and welfare. But not here in the South.
Georgia made headlines when a core group of rightwingers passed legislation that allowed taxpayer money to be used to go these fake clinics. Of course, us being Florida, we had to step our crazy up a notch.
The Florida House just passed HB 41, which goes beyond allowing taxpayer money to fund these houses of horror. The bill REQUIRES that the Florida Department of Health contract with the Florida Pregnancy Care Network, a crisis pregnancy network with “clinics” that offers “free” pregnancy tests, peer counseling, and a lot of intimidation. The funding will be permanent.
The Senate bill is soon about to hear debate on their companion bill, SB 444, filed by GOP State Senator Aaron Bean.
State Sen. Bean lied during the committee hearing and said “The Department of Health overseas the literature provided by the network”. However, State Sen. Lauren Book (D-Plantation) said that claim was contradicted by state officials: “When I contacted the Department of Health, they said that they currently do not review or approve any of the brochures or other materials that are funded through [state funds].”
According to Progress Florida, “Crisis pregnancy centers are known to pose as legitimate health clinics offering reproductive health services and pregnancy-related information. In reality, they shame and mislead women, often denying them the care they want or need.”
Progress Florida is running a few digital ads “Florida’s Senate Bill 444 would send your tax dollars to fake, anti-abortion clinics that masquerade as ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ and harm Florida women.”
There’s a small chance that this will fail in the Senate, if we keep the pressure on. If it passes, however, there is about a 100% chance that Gov. Skeletor (aka Rick Scott) will sign it.
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I just witnessed millions of women come together to fight for their rights across the nation. We need that energy to fight for women’s rights in our own backyard. Let’s do this.