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A 861

Relates to services available to immigrants residing in certain family and adult shelter facilities

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Phara Souffrant Forrest and 1 co-sponsor

NJ CFA crackdown on crisis pregnancy centers: bans false ads about pregnancy services, requires clear disclosures, and lets AG issue C&D orders plus corrective ads.

REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
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Bill Summary · A 861

Summary — A861 (2024-2025 session)

Title: Relates to services available to immigrants residing in certain family and adult shelter facilities (as reported with committee amendments)

Note: This summary reflects the version reported favorably by the Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee on March 20, 2025.

Purpose

To make certain deceptive advertising and representations by “crisis pregnancy centers” unlawful under New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act (P.L.1960, c.39), and to authorize consumer-protection enforcement (including Attorney General actions and corrective orders) when centers falsely imply they provide pregnancy‑related medical services or are health care facilities.

Key provisions

  • Declares it an unlawful practice for a crisis pregnancy center to:
    • Publish or disseminate any advertisement, announcement, or statement about pregnancy‑related services that is false or misleading; or
    • Make false or misleading statements about, or misrepresent its intent to provide, pregnancy‑related services.
  • Requires complaints alleging violations to be investigated within 30 days of receipt (committee amendment).
  • A center found in violation must:
    • Immediately cease and desist the false or misleading conduct; and
    • Issue a corrective advertisement, announcement, or statement correcting the misrepresentation.
  • Authorizes the Attorney General to:
    • Issue cease-and-desist orders;
    • Seek summary injunctive relief in Superior Court to prohibit advertising or providing peer-related counseling services; and
    • Seek court orders requiring remedial steps to correct adverse effects of deceptive practices.
  • Violations are subject to all remedies and penalties available under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (e.g., injunctive relief, civil remedies, and other CFA‑authorized penalties).

Important definitions (selected)

  • “Crisis pregnancy center”: A nonprofit facility that provides peer-related counseling and non‑medical referrals related to pregnancy/childbirth but does not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy‑related medical services. The bill also treats facilities that present the appearance of a licensed health care facility (medical attire, exam rooms, collection of identifiable health information, or shared space with a physician/licensed facility) as crisis pregnancy centers for these purposes. It excludes licensed ambulatory care, licensed health care, and birthing facilities that provide family planning and prenatal care.
  • “Pregnancy‑related services”: Medical services or health care counseling related to pregnancy or pregnancy prevention (e.g., ultrasounds, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, counseling on contraception and pregnancy options).
  • “False or misleading” includes: (1) implying the center provides abortion or other pregnancy-related services when it does not; (2) representing it is a health care facility when it is not without clear disclosure; and (3) failing to disclose at time of service or clearly and conspicuously in advertising that it does not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy-related services.

Who is affected

  • Primary: nonprofit crisis pregnancy centers that do not provide referrals to abortion or certain medical pregnancy services.
  • Secondary: clients seeking pregnancy‑related medical services and state consumer‑protection enforcers (Attorney General, consumers invoking the Consumer Fraud Act).

Enforcement & potential impacts

  • Enforcement via the Consumer Fraud Act gives rise to civil remedies and penalties (including injunctive relief and other CFA remedies).
  • The Attorney General may pursue immediate and summary relief to stop deceptive practices and require corrective steps.
  • Centers that use medical appearance or ambiguous advertising but do not provide medical referrals would need to disclose that limitation clearly to avoid liability.

Legislative status & timeline

  • Introduced: January 9, 2024.
  • Referred to Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee; reported with committee amendments: March 20, 2025 (1st reprint noted).
  • Also listed as referred to the Governmental Operations Committee (January 8, 2025).
  • Current status (per provided record): Referred to Governmental Operations.

Sponsors / related bills

  • Primary sponsor (per provided metadata): Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest; cosponsor: MaryJane Shimsky.
  • Document also lists Assemblymembers VerLina Reynolds‑Jackson, Ellen J. Park, Garnet R. Hall, and co-sponsors Miller and Ramirez in some versions.
  • Related: A8088 (prior session); companion S2522 (Senate).

If you want, I can produce a one‑page briefing suitable for distribution to stakeholders, or a side‑by‑side comparison showing how this bill amends existing Consumer Fraud Act provisions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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