Heritage scholars Emilie Kao, Director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, and Elizabeth Slattery, Legal Fellow and Appellate Advocacy Program Manager at the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, issued the following statement reacting to today’s NIFLA v. Becerra arguments at the Supreme Court:

 

“All Americans who value free speech should pay attention to the outcome in today's Supreme Court case NIFLA v. Becerra because the Constitution protects every citizen from being forced by their government to speak a message that violates their conscience. California unconstitutionally targeted pro-life pregnancy resource centers by forcing them to advertise abortions in their centers under threat of severe punishment. This law imposes the state's viewpoint about a highly controversial political issue on private entities. Today's oral argument went well for the challengers. A number of the justices -- including liberal members of the Court -- were concerned about the burden this law places on free speech and the fact that the state clearly targeted pro-life centers. The Supreme Court should uphold the Constitution's protection of every American's freedom of speech and conscience in the face of government intrusion.”