The Latest: California officials blast court abortion ruling

WASHINGTON – The Latest on the Supreme Court striking down a California law related to abortion (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

California Democrats and supporters of abortion rights are blasting a U.S. Supreme Court decision striking a state law that required anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centres to provide information about abortion services.

State Attorney General Xavier Becerra says the law was aimed at ensuring low-income women in particular had access to “critical and non-biased information” about pregnancy options. He vows to keep working to ensure women receive information about all available health care options.

Assemblyman David Chiu, the bill’s author, says the court decision shows reproductive rights are more vulnerable than ever.

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, which brought the lawsuit, is cheering the court for overturning what it called a “coercive law” forcing the centres to provide “free advertising for tax-funded abortions.”

Abortion rights groups estimate more than 4,000 such pregnancy centres are operating around the nation.

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10:15 a.m.

The Supreme Court says a California law that forces anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centres to provide information about abortion probably violates the Constitution.

The 5-4 ruling Tuesday also casts doubts on similar laws in Hawaii and Illinois.

The California law took effect in 2016. It requires centres that are licensed by the state to tell clients about the availability of contraception, abortion and pre-natal care, at little or no cost.

Centres that are unlicensed have to post a sign that said so. The court struck down that portion of the law.

The centres said they were singled out and forced to deliver a message with which they disagreed. California said the law was needed to let poor women know all their options.