New Jersey Committee Passes Bill to Ban Pro-Life Free Speech

The New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced legislation that pro-life advocates warn would threaten First Amendment freedoms by creating broad new civil liability for peaceful opposition to abortion.

The radical pro-abortion legislation would effectively target sidewalk counselors, crisis pregnancy centers and other pro-life advocates.

The committee approved A2218 along party lines on Monday after adopting last-minute amendments released the same day as the public hearing.

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Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, who joined other concerned citizens and pro-life organizations in testifying against the bill, criticized the process.

“Unfortunately, despite significant concerns raised during testimony, the committee advanced the bill after adopting last-minute amendments that were released on the same day as the hearing,” Tasy said. “Neither the public nor members of the committee were given a meaningful opportunity to review these substantial changes before testimony was heard and the bill was voted out of committee.”

Tasy said the amendments do not fix the bill’s core problems.

“While some language was restructured, the amendments largely shift the bill’s speech-suppressing provisions from criminal penalties to broad civil liability,” she said. “Under the amended bill, abortion providers and activists could still bring lawsuits alleging emotional harm, mental anguish, reputational harm, or financial harm resulting from opposition to abortion or related services.”

“In many ways, the amendments make the bill even more dangerous by lowering the legal barriers to pursuing claims against peaceful pro-life advocates, sidewalk counselors, crisis pregnancy centers, and others engaged in constitutionally protected activities,” Tasy added.

Tasy described A2218 as a deeply flawed bill that threatens First Amendment freedoms, creates new avenues to target peaceful pro-life advocacy, grants special protections to the abortion industry and further entrenches New Jersey as a sanctuary state for abortion.

The legislation seeks to protect access to reproductive health care services, including abortion, and would shield abortionists from out-of-state interference or prosecution for breaking pro-life laws in pro-life states.

Tasy warned that the bill could reach the full Assembly for a vote as early as Thursday.

“This legislation could become law if citizens remain silent,” she said. “Lawmakers need to hear from New Jersey residents now that constitutional rights, free speech, and peaceful advocacy must be protected.”

Tasy urged pro-life citizens to call legislators and urge opposition to the bill.