Appeals Court Rehearing Md. Pregnancy Center Cases
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A federal appeals court in Virginia is set to reconsider the constitutionality of two ordinances requiring Maryland anti-abortion pregnancy counseling centers to post certain disclaimers.
A divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's decision striking down the ordinances in June. The full appeals court will review those rulings Thursday in Richmond.
The Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns and Centro Tepeyac Women's Center in Montgomery County say the city and county ordinances violated their free-speech rights. The city law required pregnancy counseling centers that don't provide abortions or birth control to post disclaimers saying so. The county statute required the center to post a sign saying it doesn't have a have a licensed medical professional on staff.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
