Contact: John Eidsmoe, Foundation for Moral Law, 334-262-1245, info@morallaw.org

MONTGOMERY, Ala., Jan. 16, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Foundation for Moral Law, a nonprofit dedicated to the defense of religious liberty, filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of crisis pregnancy centers that are required by California law to post notices telling patients where they may obtain abortions and abortion referrals.

Foundation President Kayla Moore observed that the First Amendment prohibits the state from forcing people to say what they do not want to say. "These pro-life crisis pregnancy centers believe abortion is murder," she said. "Forcing them to display signs telling their patients where they may obtain abortions makes them complicit in abortion and violates their deeply-held moral and religious beliefs."

Foundation Senior Counsel John Eidsmoe explained that "Compelled speech is even more odious under the Constitution than prohibited speech. California seems to think the court-created 'right' to abortion supersedes even the constitutionally-guaranteed right of free speech. Furthermore, the law applies only to crisis pregnancy centers that do not perform abortions or refer patients for abortions. Abortion providers are not required to post signs telling patients where to find abortion alternatives."

Eidsmoe added, "Our brief pointed out that, early in January, the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of crisis pregnancy centers in a very similar case. That ruling strengthens our position considerably."