Senate Bill Criminalizes Peaceful Pro-lifers
This week the House will vote on SB 1324, Virginia’s version of the federal FACE Act, which would criminalize peaceful pro-life advocates. Here is what this bill would do if it were to become law:
Create buffer zones around abortion clinics, making it a crime to approach someone within eight feet in public areas without their consent. This would criminalize handing out a brochure or offering to pray.
Penalizes anyone who "delays" another person’s entry or exit from a clinic—even for a moment while trying to speak with a woman about life-affirming alternatives.
Target faith-based, pro-life advocates, by restricting their ability to share resources and provide life-affirming support to women in crisis.
The Biden DOJ weaponized the federal FACE Act against peaceful pro-life advocates, which led to multiple peaceful pro-life advocates being jailed, and who were eventually pardoned by President Trump. Now, Virginia lawmakers are pushing a state-level version to criminalize sidewalk counselors who offer hope and life-affirming alternatives to women outside abortion facilities.
Proponents of this bill claim it is necessary to combat “violent” pro-lifers who allegedly assault women seeking abortions. This is a blatant misrepresentation. The reality is that pro-life advocates are not the aggressors. Meanwhile, it is pregnancy resource centers and organizations that offer alternatives to abortion that have been the true victims of violence, facing vandalism, arson, and death threats—including right here in Virginia. Click here for a long list of documented attacks by militant abortion activists who seek to intimidate and silence life-affirming organizations.
This is a clear and dangerous attack on freedom of association, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech.
