SAN DIEGO — A proposal to use legal action to force local pro-life pregnancy resource centers out of business was withdrawn from consideration at the Dec. 5 meeting of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
The agenda item was first introduced at the board’s Nov. 7 meeting by Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. The board deadlocked at 2-2 on the proposal, which meant that it would automatically be brought up for a vote at the Dec. 5 meeting, unless Lawson-Remer requested its removal from the agenda.
The pro-life community had braced itself for the likelihood that the proposal would pass on Dec. 5, since the newly elected Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe would be able to break the tie. She has expressed support for legal abortion.
Maria Valencia, who serves in the diocese as associate director of Culture of Life, said that she and other supporters of pregnancy resource centers had sent out alerts, urging their constituencies to express opposition to the proposal via email and phone.
She and others also had been planning to attend the meeting in a show of support for “the work that the pregnancy resource centers do to help pregnant women and vulnerable families.”
But Valencia learned on Dec. 1 that Lawson-Remer had withdrawn the agenda item, which had called for the county to explore taking legal action against the approximately 15 pregnancy resource centers in San Diego County, “including but not limited to shutting down such centers”; to launch a public education campaign to challenge their claims and promote the availability of resources that include abortion; and seek funding to raise awareness about ‘reproductive health services.’”
In a Dec. 1 email addressed to “Dear Pro-life friends,” the pro-life organization Helpers of God’s Precious Infants – San Diego shared the good news about the proposal’s withdrawal.
“Your voice really does matter!” the message read. “Today, Item 25 was withdrawn from the Dec. 5th County Board of Supervisor’s meeting. This bill would have used public money to advertise that Pregnancy Resource Centers are ‘fake clinics.’ As of Friday afternoon, 91% of the public comments for 34 agenda items were focused on Item 25. An overwhelming 85% of Item 25 comments opposed this unfair use of taxpayer money to try to shut down PRCs.”
Valencia said that she and fellow members of the pro-life community celebrated the unexpected development by exchanging “encouraging messages.”
But, she said, they will “continue being vigilant” and not simply “trust” that the proposal will never be resubmitted for consideration.
In the meantime, Valencia encourages those who support the pro-life cause to familiarize themselves with the work of pregnancy resource centers.
Valencia invited pro-life supporters to consider donating to the centers and to be ready to recommend them to family, friends and acquaintances who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy.
“These (are) little things that we can do to show our appreciation,” she said, “and to also be part of the change to save life.”
For more information, contact Maria Valencia at (858) 490-8323 or mvalencia@sdcatholic.org.
