Read the full stored bill text
S3319
SENATE, No. 3319
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
���� Provides certain deceptive practices in advertising
of pregnancy-related services violate the consumer fraud act.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning certain deceptive practices in the
advertising of pregnancy-related services and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39
(C.56:8-1).
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� As used in this act:
���� �Crisis pregnancy center�
means a facility administered by a nonprofit organization that provides a
client with peer-related counseling services related to pregnancy and childbirth,
including, but not limited to, referrals to non-medical services, child�rearing
resources, and adoption services, but does not provide referrals to abortion or
other pregnancy-related services.� A crisis pregnancy center shall include a
facility that presents the appearance of a licensed health care facility by:
requiring staff or volunteers to wear medical attire or uniforms and to collect
from a client identifiable health information, as defined in 45 C.F.R. s.160.103;
having one or more examination rooms or semi-private rooms or areas containing
medical supplies or medical instruments; or sharing physical space with a
physician�s office or a licensed health care facility.� A crisis pregnancy
center shall not include an ambulatory care facility, a licensed health care
facility, or a birthing facility that provides family planning services and
prenatal care.
���� �Pregnancy�related services�
means any medical services or health care counseling services related to
pregnancy or pregnancy prevention, including, but not limited to, ultrasound or
sonogram evaluations, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, and education and
counseling on contraception and unplanned pregnancy options.
���� 2.� a.� It shall be an
unlawful practice for a crisis pregnancy center to:
���� (1) make, publish,
disseminate, circulate, or place before the public, or cause, directly or
indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before
the public, in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of a
notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, or poster, or over any radio station, or
via the Internet, or in any other way, an advertisement, announcement, or
statement containing any assertion, representation, or statement with respect
to pregnancy-related services or the provision of pregnancy-related services
which is untrue, deceptive, or misleading; or
���� (2) make false or misleading
statements about, or misrepresent the center�s intent to provide,
pregnancy-related services.
���� b.� A crisis pregnancy center
that violates the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be subject
to all remedies and penalties available pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et
seq.).
���� 3.� In addition to powers
exercised by the Attorney General pursuant to the provisions of section 8 of
P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-8) or any other law, when it shall appear to the
Attorney General that a crisis pregnancy center is about to engage in, is
continuing to engage in, or has engaged in conduct which is in violation of section
2 of this act, or when it is in the public interest, the Attorney General shall
have the authority to seek and obtain in summary action in the Superior Court
an injunction prohibiting the crisis pregnancy center from advertising or providing
peer-related counseling services, and may seek and obtain a court order
requiring the crisis pregnancy center to take whatever remedial steps the court
deems necessary to correct the adverse effects of the center�s untrue,
deceptive, false, or misleading advertising or statements on any client seeking
pregnancy-related services.
���� 4.� This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill provides that it is
an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et
seq.), for a crisis pregnancy center to: (1) make, publish, disseminate,
circulate, or place before the public, or cause, directly or indirectly, to be
made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public, in a
newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of a notice,
circular, pamphlet, letter, or poster, or over any radio station, or via the
Internet, or in any other way, an advertisement, announcement or statement
containing any assertion, representation, or statement with respect to
pregnancy-related services or the provision of pregnancy-related services which
is untrue, deceptive, or misleading; or (2) make false or misleading statements
about, or misrepresent the center�s intent to provide, pregnancy-related
services.
���� As defined in the bill,
�crisis pregnancy center� means a facility administered by a nonprofit
organization that provides a client with peer-related counseling services
related to pregnancy and childbirth, including, but not limited to, referrals
to non-medical services, child�rearing resources, and adoption services, but
does not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy-related services.� A
crisis pregnancy center includes a facility that presents the appearance of a
licensed health care facility by: requiring staff or volunteers to wear medical
attire or uniforms and to collect from a client identifiable health
information; having one or more examination rooms or semi-private rooms or areas
containing medical supplies or medical instruments; or sharing physical space
with a physician�s office or a licensed health care facility.� A crisis
pregnancy center does not include an ambulatory care facility, a licensed health
care facility, or a birthing facility that provides family planning services
and prenatal care.
���� The bill also defines
�pregnancy-related services� as any medical services or health care counseling
services related to pregnancy or pregnancy prevention, including, but not
limited to, ultrasound or sonogram evaluations, pregnancy testing, prenatal
care, and education and counseling on contraception and unplanned pregnancy options.
���� A crisis pregnancy center that
violates the provision of the bill is subject to all remedies and penalties
available pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).�
���� In addition, the bill provides
that if a crisis pregnancy center is about to engage in, is continuing to
engage in, or has engaged in conduct which is in violation of the bill, or if
it is in the public interest, the Attorney General has the authority to seek
and obtain an injunction prohibiting the crisis pregnancy center from
advertising or providing peer-related counseling services, and may seek and
obtain a court order requiring the center to take whatever remedial steps the
court deems necessary to correct the adverse effects of the center�s untrue,
deceptive, false, or misleading advertising or statements on any client seeking
pregnancy-related services.