1366-S AMH HINK CORD 032

SHB 1366 - H AMD 417

By Representative Hinkle

NOT CONSIDERED 04/22/2011

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that:

    (a) Pregnancy resource centers serve a vital purpose throughout the state and provide nearly fifteen million dollars of free services every year to pregnant women facing difficult choices;

    (b) Pregnancy resource centers are mostly faith-based and operate with a core mission focused on preserving the life of the unborn child;

    (c) As equal players in the marketplace of ideas, pregnancy resource centers are protected from unnecessary government intrusion by the constitutions of the United States and the state of Washington;

    (d) Pregnancy resource centers often offer free counseling, free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, and free wraparound services that help support women who choose to carry their babies to term;

    (e) Pregnancy resource centers are under attack by ideological opponents seeking to silence the centers' countering viewpoint; and

    (f) Opponents of pregnancy resource centers often refer to the centers as limited service pregnancy centers and want to litigate them out of business.

    (2) It is the intent of the legislature to:

    (a) Protect pregnancy resource centers from further harassment;

    (b) Promote the continued operation of pregnancy resource centers in the state, free from overbearing state intrusion and unequal treatment geared toward silencing their contribution to the marketplace of ideas; and

    (c) Properly refer to pregnancy resource centers as such, and not refer to them as limited service pregnancy centers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) A pregnancy resource center is allowed to operate in this state and must follow all applicable federal and state laws.

    (2) As used in this section, "pregnancy resource center" means an organization that offers free pregnancy-related services and information about adoption or abortion, but does not provide any of the following:  Comprehensive birth control services, abortion, or referral for abortion."

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:  Deletes the provisions of the underlying bill.

Adds (1) legislative findings, (2) a section declaring legislative intent to protect, promote, and properly refer to pregnancy resource centers, and (3) a section authorizing pregnancy resource centers to operate in this state and requiring that they follow all applicable federal and state laws.

Defines "pregnancy resource center" as an organization that offers free pregnancy-related services and information about adoption or abortion, but does not provide comprehensive birth control or abortion services.

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