Crisis Pregnancy Centers Gain Legal Protections as Debate Intensifies
Across the United States, a growing number of states are enacting legislation aimed at bolstering protections for crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), organizations that counsel women on pregnancy options and provide related support services. These centers, which often aim to dissuade women from having abortions, are facing increased scrutiny and, in some cases, legal challenges following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The CARE Act and Expanding Protections
Conservative lawmakers are championing the Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression Act (CARE Act), model legislation drafted by the Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-abortion legal advocacy group. The CARE Act seeks to prohibit state and local governments from mandating that CPCs perform abortions, provide referrals for abortion services, or inform patients about contraception options. It also grants CPCs the right to sue any government entity that violates these provisions.
Wyoming passed a version of the CARE Act on March 4, with similar legislation advancing in Kansas and Oklahoma this year. Montana signed a version into law in 2025. A related proposal, the Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act, was introduced in Congress last year but remains stalled in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Concerns and Criticisms
Opponents of these centers argue that they often present themselves as comprehensive medical clinics without adhering to the same standards and regulations as licensed healthcare facilities. Concerns have been raised about potentially misleading practices and the privacy of patient data.
Julie Burkhart, president and founder of Wellspring Health Access, the only abortion provider in Wyoming, highlighted the challenges faced by legitimate healthcare providers. “We are the ones providing the accurate information on reproductive health care and we suffer the consequences for that,” she told KFF Health News.
A Growing Network
As of 2024, there are over 2,500 crisis pregnancy centers operating nationwide, according to researchers at the University of Georgia. This number significantly exceeds the 753 clinics providing abortions as of 2025. The Charlotte Lozier Institute, affiliated with SBA Pro-Life America, has suggested that CPCs could help fill the gap left by closures of Planned Parenthood clinics.
Funding and Legal Battles
CPCs have experienced a surge in funding since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. At least 19 states have allocated funds to “life-affirming” organizations, including CPCs, and six states now direct a portion of their federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding to these centers. From 2017 to 2023, CPCs received $429 million in federal funding, including funds from the 2020 COVID-19 relief package.
The Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could determine whether states can subpoena CPCs for donor and internal information. Courts have consistently sided with faith-based organizations arguing that attempts at regulation violate their First Amendment rights.
The Role of the Alliance Defending Freedom
The Alliance Defending Freedom, the organization behind the CARE Act, was also instrumental in the legal challenge that overturned Roe v. Wade. The group drafted the Gestational Age Act, which formed the basis of the 2018 Mississippi law that ultimately led to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case.
Valerie Berry, executive director of the LifeChoice Pregnancy Care Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, emphasized the intent of the legislation: “This legislation is not about creating division. It’s about protecting constitutional freedoms, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience.”