Chambana Sun

In an April 26 Facebook post, Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis) asked constituents to oppose Senate Bill 1909.

“Protect pregnancy resource centers by opposing SB1909,” he wrote. “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 (D-Chicago) on Feb. 9. It would go into effect immediately upon passage. The bill "[p]rohibits a limited services pregnancy center from engaging in unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive acts or practices: (1) to interfere with or prevent an individual from seeking to gain entry or access to a provider of abortion or emergency contraception; (2) to induce an individual to enter or access the limited services pregnancy center; (3) in advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services; or (4) in conducting, providing, or performing pregnancy-related services."

The bill has been placed on a calendar for second reading in the House of Representatives after passing the Senate on March 31.

Illinois Right to Life published a "10 Things to Know" article on its website, focusing in part on Senate Bill 1909. The groups calls the bill "another attempt to force pregnancy help centers to cooperate in some way with abortions or referrals for abortions. Ultimately, this bill would most likely lead to the closing of pregnancy help centers entirely. Pregnancy centers offer important services to women. In fact, a recently published study found that pregnancy centers are more likely than abortion facilities to provide same-day appointments and free pregnancy testing. (“Early pregnancy confirmation availability at crisis pregnancy centers and abortion facilities in the United States,” Contraception, January 2023) 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.'"

Niemerg was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020. His House biography web page  and calls him 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.”