LRB-4576/1
SWB:emw
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
March 3, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Sargent, Brostoff, Johnson and
Berceau, cosponsored by Senator C. Larson. Referred to Committee on
Health.
AB969,1,3 1An Act to amend 20.455 (1) (gh); and to create 253.083 of the statutes; relating
2to:
false advertising by limited services pregnancy centers, providing a penalty,
3and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill prohibits a limited services pregnancy center from making or
distributing an advertisement that contains an untrue or misleading statement
related to the services the pregnancy center offers to clients or from making or
distributing a misleading or untrue statement concerning the services the pregnancy
center offers as part of a plan not to perform those services. This bill defines a limited
services pregnancy center as a pregnancy services center that does not directly
provide or make referrals for abortions or emergency contraception to individuals
seeking services at the pregnancy services center.
Under the bill, if a court finds that a limited services pregnancy center made
or distributed an advertisement that contains an untrue or misleading statement or
made or distributed a misleading or untrue statement concerning the services it
offers as part of a plan not to perform those services, the court may assess a forfeiture
on the limited services pregnancy center, require the limited services pregnancy
center to reimburse the attorney general or district attorney for the expenses of the
investigation and prosecution, and issue an injunction that requires any of the
following:
1. That the limited services pregnancy center pay for and distribute corrective
advertising.

2. That the limited services pregnancy center post a notice that is readily visible
to clients that states whether there is a licensed physician on staff at the center and
whether the center offers abortions, emergency contraception, or referrals for
abortions or emergency contraception.
3. Other relief that the court considers necessary to remedy the adverse effects
on women seeking pregnancy-related services.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB969,1 1Section 1. 20.455 (1) (gh) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
2is amended to read:
AB969,2,73 20.455 (1) (gh) Investigation and prosecution. Moneys received under ss. 23.22
4(9) (c), 49.49 (6), 100.263, 133.16, 253.083 (3) (e), 281.98 (2), 283.91 (5), 289.96 (3) (b),
5291.97 (3), 292.99 (2), 293.87 (4) (b), 295.19 (3) (b) 2., 295.79 (4) (b), and 299.97 (2),
6for the expenses of investigation and prosecution of violations, including attorney
7fees, and for expenses related to s. 165.055 (3).
AB969,2 8Section 2. 253.083 of the statutes is created to read:
AB969,2,10 9253.083 Limited services pregnancy centers; false advertising. (1) In
10this section:
AB969,2,1111 (a) "Abortion" has the meaning given in s. 253.10 (2) (a).
AB969,2,1312 (b) "Client" means an individual who is inquiring about or seeking services at
13a pregnancy services center.
AB969,2,1414 (c) "Emergency contraception" has the meaning given in s. 50.375 (1) (a).
AB969,2,1715 (d) "Health information" means any oral or written information in any form or
16medium that relates to the physical or mental health or condition of a client and any
17information in any form or medium that relates to a client's health insurance.
AB969,2,1818 (e) "Health care provider" has the meaning given in s. 146.81 (1).
AB969,3,3
1(f) "Limited services pregnancy center" means a pregnancy services center that
2does not directly provide abortions or emergency contraception to clients or provide
3referrals to clients for abortions or emergency contraception.
AB969,3,84 (g) "Pregnancy services center" means a facility, including a mobile facility, the
5primary purpose of which is to provide services to women who are or may be pregnant
6and that offers obstetric ultrasounds, obstetric sonograms, or prenatal care to
7pregnant women or has the appearance of a medical facility. A pregnancy services
8center has the appearance of a medical facility if at least 2 of the following apply:
AB969,3,99 1. The facility offers pregnancy testing or pregnancy diagnosis.
AB969,3,1010 2. The facility has staff or volunteers who wear medical attire or uniforms.
AB969,3,1111 3. The facility contains one or more examination tables.
AB969,3,1312 4. The facility contains a private or semi-private room or area containing
13medical supplies or medical instruments.
AB969,3,1514 5. The facility has staff or volunteers who collect health information from
15clients.
AB969,3,1816 6. The facility shares space with a licensed health care provider or is located
17on the same premises as a state-licensed medical facility or a licensed health care
18provider.
AB969,3,2019 (h) "Prenatal care" means a physical examination, pelvic examination, or
20clinical laboratory service that is provided to a woman during pregnancy.
AB969,4,3 21(2) (a) A limited services pregnancy center that offers or intends to offer
22pregnancy-related services, directly or indirectly, may not make or disseminate or
23cause to be made or disseminated any advertisement in any medium, including in
24a newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, or on an Internet site, that contains a statement
25or an omission of material fact related to the services it offers or intends to offer to

1clients that is untrue or misleading and that the limited services pregnancy center
2knew or should have known was untrue or misleading when the advertisement was
3created, published, or republished.
AB969,4,94 (b) A limited services pregnancy center that offers or intends to offer
5pregnancy-related services, directly or indirectly, may not make or disseminate or
6cause to be made or disseminated a misleading or untrue statement concerning the
7services it offers or intends to offer to clients as part of a plan not to perform services
8that the limited services pregnancy center advertises that it offers, explicitly or by
9implication.
AB969,4,14 10(3) (a) Subject to par. (b), if the attorney general or a district attorney has
11reason to believe that a limited services pregnancy center has violated sub. (2), the
12attorney general or district attorney may bring an action in the name of the state
13against the limited services pregnancy center for injunctive relief to restrain the
14violation.
AB969,4,2215 (b) Before an action may be commenced under par. (a), the attorney general or
16district attorney shall notify the limited services pregnancy center, in writing, of the
17violation. The notice shall specifically identify the violation, including a description
18of the untrue information or omission of material fact, and provide the limited
19services pregnancy center 10 days in which to cure the violation. If the limited
20services pregnancy center fails to cure the violation within 10 days, as determined
21by the attorney general or district attorney, the attorney general or district attorney
22may commence an action under par. (a).
AB969,4,2423 (c) If a court finds that a limited services pregnancy center violated sub. (2), the
24court may issue an injunction that requires any of the following:
AB969,5,3
11. That the limited services pregnancy center pay for and disseminate
2corrective advertising in the same form as the advertisement or statement that is the
3basis of the violation.
AB969,5,64 2. That the limited services pregnancy center post a notice on its premises, in
5a location that is readily visible to clients in any waiting area or in each examination
6room that states all of the following:
AB969,5,77 a. Whether there is a licensed physician on staff at the center.
AB969,5,98 b. Whether abortions, emergency contraception, or referrals for abortions or
9emergency contraception are available at the center.
AB969,5,1210 3. Any other narrowly tailored relief that the court considers necessary to
11remedy the adverse effects of the advertisement or statement that is the basis of the
12violation toward women seeking pregnancy-related services.
AB969,5,1413 (d) A court may require each person who violates sub. (2) to forfeit an amount
14not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 per violation.
AB969,5,2215 (e) In addition to the forfeitures provided under par. (d), the court may award
16the reasonable and necessary expenses of the investigation and prosecution,
17including attorney fees, to the state if the action was brought by the attorney general
18or to the county if the action was brought by the district attorney. The department
19of justice shall deposit in the state treasury for deposit into the general fund all
20moneys that the court awards to the state under this paragraph. The costs of
21investigation and the expenses of prosecution, including attorney fees, shall be
22credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.455 (1) (gh).
AB969,5,2323 (End)
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