Crisis pregnancy centers, establishments that pose as clinics out to help pregnant women but in actuality are run by anti-choice staff, are prevalent across the country. Unfortunately, CPCs have a tendency to avoid revealing the fact that they exist to deter women from having abortions, and most are not obligated by law to do so.

HOWEVERRRR... Baltimore has now become the first city in the country to regulate their CPCs. The Limited Service Pregnancy Center Disclaimers Bill passed by a 12-3 vote in the Baltimore City Council and will now move to the the desk of Mayor Sheila Dixon, who is expected to sign it. The bill will require crisis pregnancy centers to post signs disclosing that they do not offer referrals for or information about abortion and contraception.

Seriously, why isn't this mandated everywhere? There are about 4,000 CPCs nationwide... four thousand establishments set up to deceive pregnant women. We only need to read stories from real women who have visited CPCs to know how awful they are:

I had a surgical abortion in April. When I discovered I was pregnant, I visited a Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC). When I walked in, I was greeted warmly. They gave me a free ultrasound and seemed sweet and supportive. Then came the counseling session, during which I asked to be excused several times, and was told each time it was mandatory since they had given me an ultrasound for free. When I informed them of my decision to have an abortion, I was forced to watch a graphic video. I was suffering from morning sickness and I had to run out to vomit several times. They told me these were the consequences of sin. They warned me my fiance would never be able to look at me as anything other than the woman who killed his first child. I'll never forget the way I felt leaving the Crisis Pregnancy Center that day.

Read more about CPCs on the National Abortion Federation's website. And if there is one in your town, make a shitload of noise about it.