HONOLULU (AP) - A national anti-abortion religious organization is suing to block a new Hawaii state law that requires family planning and pregnancy care centers to inform women of all their options - including contraception and abortion.
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates filed the lawsuit on Wednesday one day after Gov. David Ige signed the law into effect, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported (https://bit.ly/2tTvUmj ).
The law says all women seeking help should be made aware of the services available to them for free or at low cost through state programs. But the organization claims the law violates its members’ free speech and religious freedom rights by forcing them to advertise abortion services.
The organization also claims the law violates the right of due process because there is no appeal process for someone who might receive a noncompliance fee.
The fees are $500 for first offenders and $1,000 for any noncompliance thereafter.
State lawmakers said the law is designed so all residents can receive comprehensive, accurate and unbiased information to make fully informed decisions about their health. They said especially for women and their reproductive health, timely information is critical in making informed decisions.
A representative for the state Attorney General’s office said the state has not had time to review the lawsuit and declined comment.
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Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, https://www.staradvertiser.com
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