As part of our ongoing monitoring of the Unregulated Pregnancy Clinic (UPC) industry, Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch monitors UPC-related legislation at both the state and federal levels. This is a snapshot of the bills we’re watching.
State Policy
We are currently monitoring 72 bills in 23 states. Here are the current trends:
- Increased state taxpayer funds allocated to the UPC industry via direct appropriations to new and existing UPC funding programs (example: H.B.2229 in Arizona) and new or expanded tax credits for donations to UPCs (example: S.B.1547 in Missouri and H.B.4188 in West Virginia)
- Legislation to pro-actively shield UPCs from “discrimination” based on their pro-life views, based on model policy from Alliance Defending Freedom, a national conservative and anti-choice legal organization (H.B.2635 in Kansas and H.B.3194 in Oklahoma)
- Bills to regulate UPC industry privacy practices (example: H.B.0615 in Maryland), deceptive practices (example: H.B.3910 in Oklahoma), and medical standards (example: S.B.193 in Virginia)
See the full list of state legislation we’re tracking HERE.
If you’re aware of any UPC-related legislation not yet reflected on our list, please let us know: press@reproductivehealthfreedom.us
Federal Policy
The US House of Representatives recently passed on party lines two bills supportive of the UPC industry: H.R. 6945 and H.R.6359.
- H.R.6945, the “Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act”, allows federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to be used to fund UPCs. With this, Congress opens the door to widespread diversion of scarce public funds toward an industry with a documented record of waste, fraud, and abuse.
- H.R.6359, the “Pregnant Students’ Rights Act”, requires institutions of higher education to provide information to encourage students to carry pregnancies to term, including information about UPCs. This routes taxpayer funding to free advertisement for the UPC industry, where medical services currently lack state oversight.
Resources for advocates
- Public Leadership Institute’s UPC Policy Playbook
- RHFW’s latest analysis of the UPC industry finances and comparison to UPC industry impact data
- RHFW’s analysis of UPC industry waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funding
- Jessica Valenti’s reporting on national anti-choice legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom’s CARE Act
- Ms. Magazine’s reporting on the recent federal UPC legislation from the first time these bills were introduced