Macon Reporter

Illinois Rep. Adam Niemerg is asking those in his district to oppose Senate Bill 1909, which would outlaw any efforts made to curtail the path to abortions using false pretenses. Niemerg says the bill unfairly targets expectant mothers.

"Protect pregnancy resource centers by opposing SB1909," he wrote April 26 in a Facebook post. "This bill deeply threatens the availability of pregnancy resource centers in Illinois to provide much needed support to expecting mothers looking for help."

Senate Bill 1909 was filed by Sen. Celina Villanueva on Feb. 9. According to the text, the bill would prohibit "a limited services pregnancy center from engaging in unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive acts or practices," such as "to interfere with or prevent an individual from seeking to gain entry or access to a provider of abortion or emergency contraception... to induce an individual to enter or access the limited services pregnancy center; (3) in advertising, soliciting or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services... or in conducting, providing or performing pregnancy-related services."

The bill passed the Senate on March 31, and has been placed on a calendar for a second reading, according to state data.

Illinois Right to Life published a "10 Things to Know" article on its website, in which the organization called the bill "another attempt to force pregnancy help centers to cooperate in some way with abortions or referrals for abortions," according to the report. The group suggested that the bill would ultimately lead to the closing of pregnancy help centers statewide, adding that pregnancy centers offer important services to women. A recent study quoted by the site found that pregnancy centers are "more likely than abortion facilities to provide same-day appointments and free pregnancy testing," the release states. The bill targets the services provided by pregnancy help centers and sidewalk counselors by making them civilly liable for engaging in “deceptive acts or practice” for any concealment, suppression or omission of a “material fact,” the report stated.

Niemerg refers to himself a "fiscal conservative focused on reducing taxes and fighting for limited government and pension reform to spur the growth of business and jobs in his district and all of Illinois," according to his website.