California State Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel has proposed a bill that would violate the First Amendment by forcing every student to advertise a Planned Parenthood phone number on their student identification cards. This new law would apply to public middle and high schools, colleges, and private–including Christian–educational institutions.
Last year, California started requiring the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline be placed on the back of student ID cards for any public school, charter or private school grades 7 to 12.
However, Gabriel’s AB 624, known as the “Pupil and Student Health” bill, would mandate five additional numbers be printed on either side, including a phone number for “a sexual or reproductive health hotline” to provide free publicity to Planned Parenthood. The bill will go to the California Assembly Education Committee on March 27.
Gabriel received a public endorsement from Sarah Mitchell, public affairs and communications manager at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, which states:
“Planned Parenthood is proud to endorse Jesse Gabriel for State Assembly. Jesse has a long record of standing up for those most in need, and we know that he will be a strong partner in protecting women’s health and ensuring access to vital services – including life-saving cancer screenings, birth control, and STD testing and treatment.”
Planned Parenthood also gave a $4,400 contribution for Gabriel’s 2018 political campaign.
Examples of Planned Parenthood’s advice to students can be found on its online “Chat” website where PP answers questions such as: “How does the abortion pill work?; What do you do if you forgot to use a condom?; and How do I book an appointment?”
“This outrageous California bill proposed by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel is an attack on the First Amendment by forcing every California student to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood,” said Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel’s Founder and Chairman. “Requiring students to promote the phone number of the largest abortion mill in the nation is repulsive and unconstitutional. When will the California legislators learn they cannot force people to be a mouthpiece for Planned Parenthood?” said Staver.
Liberty Counsel recently won its lawsuit against California on behalf of crisis pregnancy centers in which the state tried to force these centers to advertise abortion.
