A 1679 — Provides certain deceptive practices in advertising of pregnancy-related services or health care services violate consumer fraud act.*

A1679 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

Assemblyman Miller and Assemblywoman Lopez         SYNOPSIS      Provides certain deceptive practices in advertising of pregnancy-related services or health care services violate consumer fraud act.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingreported Technicalby Reviewthe byAssembly LegislativeCommunity Counsel.Development and Women's Affairs Committee on March 9, 2026, with amendments.

   An Act concerning certain deceptive practices in the advertising of pregnancy-related 1services and health care1 services and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1).1[(C.56:8-1)]1.

            1.  1.    As used in 1[this act] P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this act:bill)1:

    1[  “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:

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.care.]1       “Health care facility” means a health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

      “Health1[“Physician” caremeans facility”a person licensed to practice medicine or perform surgery in this State pursuant to chapter 9 of Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.]1      “Pregnancy-related services” means aany medical services or health care facilitycounseling licensedservices pursuantrelated to P.L.1971,pregnancy c.136or (C.26:2H-1pregnancy etprevention, seq.).including, but not limited to, ultrasound or sonogram evaluations, pregnancy testing, prenatal care, and education and counseling on contraception and unplanned pregnancy options 1, including abortion services1.

     “Physician”1[“False means a person licensed to practice medicine or performmisleading” surgeryshall inmean: this State pursuant to chapter 9 of Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

     “Pregnancy–related(1) services”falsely meansrepresenting any medical services or healthimplying carethat counselingthe servicescrisis related to pregnancy orcenter pregnancyprovides prevention,abortion including,or butother notpregnancy-related limitedservices to,if ultrasoundthe orcrisis sonogram evaluations, pregnancy testing,center prenataldoes care,not andprovide educationsuch andservices; counseling on contraception and unplanned pregnancy options.

          “False(2) orfalsely misleading”representing shallthat mean:the crisis pregnancy center is a health care facility if the crisis pregnancy center is not, and if the crisis pregnancy center is not, failing to disclose that the crisis pregnancy center is not a health care facility;

     or (1)     falsely(3) representingfailing to disclose at the time of service, or implyingfailing to disclose clearly and conspicuously in any advertisement, announcement, or statement, that the crisis pregnancy center providesdoes not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy-related services.]      “Health care services” means all supplies, care, and services ifof thea crisismedical, pregnancydental, centerbehavioral doeshealth, notmental providehealth, suchsubstance services;use disorder treatment, surgical, psychiatric, therapeutic, diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitative, or supportive nature, including medication.

          (2)“Person” falselyshall representinghave that the crisissame pregnancymeaning centeras isprovided ain healthR.S.1:1-2.1 care  facility     if2.    thea.  crisisIt pregnancyshall centerbe isan not,unlawful andpractice iffor thea crisis1[crisis pregnancy centercenter] isperson1 not,to: failing to disclose that the crisis pregnancy center is not a health care facility;

     (1)   make, publish, disseminate, circulate, or      place (3)before failingthe public, or cause, directly or indirectly, to disclosebe atmade, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the timepublic, in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of service,a notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, or failingposter, toor discloseover clearlyany andradio conspicuouslystation, or via the Internet, or in any other way, an advertisement, announcement, or statement,statement thatcontaining theany crisisassertion, pregnancyrepresentation, centeror doesstatement notwith providerespect referrals to abortionpregnancy-related 1services or otherhealth care1 services or the provision of pregnancy-related services.1services or health care1 services which is false or misleading;

 1[or]1           2.  (2)   a. make Itfalse shallor bemisleading anstatements unlawfulabout, practiceor formisrepresent athe crisis1[center’s] pregnancyperson’s1 centerintent to:to provide, pregnancy-related 1services or health care1 services.

          (1) 1(3) make,falsely publish,represent disseminate,that circulate, or place before the public,person oris cause,a directlyhealth orcare indirectly,facility toif be made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public,person inis anot, newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in thefact, form of a notice,health circular,care pamphlet,facility.1 letter,     orb.    poster,A or1[crisis overpregnancy anycenter] radioperson1 station,that orviolates via the Internet,provisions 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-relatedsubsection servicesa. which is false or misleading ;

orof      this (2) section makeshall falsebe orsubject misleadingto statementsall about,remedies and penalties for consumer fraud available pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).       c.     In addition to any penalties imposed pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.) or misrepresentany theother center’sprovision intentof law, a 1[crisis pregnancy center] person1 that has been found to provide,have pregnancy-relatedviolated services.this section shall:

          b.  (1) Aimmediately crisiscease pregnancyand centerdesist thatthe violatesfalse theor provisionsmisleading ofrepresentation, subsectionadvertisement, a.announcement, or statement;

of this section shall be subject to all remedies and penalties     for(2) consumerissue fraudan availableadvertisement, pursuantannouncement, toor P.L.1960,statement, c.39correcting (C.56:8-1the etfalse seq.). or      misleading c.  representation, Inadvertisement, additionannouncement, to any penalties imposed pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.) or anystatement other provision of law, a crisis pregnancy center that haswas beenthe foundsubject toof havethe violatedviolation. this section shall:

          (1)d.    immediatelyA ceasecomplaint andalleging desista theviolation falseof orthis misleadingsection representation,shall advertisement,be announcement,investigated orwithin statement;30 days of receipt.

and            (2)3.    issueIn anaddition advertisement,to announcement,powers exercised by the Attorney General pursuant to the provisions of section 8 of P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-8) or statement,any correctingother law, when it shall appear to the falseAttorney General that a 1[crisis pregnancy center] person1 is about to engage in, is continuing to engage in, or misleadinghas representation,engaged advertisement,in announcement,conduct which is in violation of section 2 of 1[this act] P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)1, or statementwhen thatit wasis in the subjectpublic ofinterest, the violation.Attorney General shall have the authority to:

      d.   A complaint alleging a violation of this section shall be investigated within 30 days of receipt.

        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 crisis1[crisis pregnancy centercenter] person1 from advertising or providing peer-related1[peer-related counselingcounseling] pregnancy-related services or health care1 services;

and seek and obtain a court order requiring the crisis1[crisis pregnancy centercenter] person1 to take whatever remedial steps the court deems necessary to correct the adverse effects of the center’s1[center’s] person’s1 untrue, deceptive, false, or misleading advertising or statements on any client seeking pregnancy-related 1services or health care1 services.

    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 false or misleading;

or       (2)  make false or misleading statements about, or misrepresent the center’s intent to provide, pregnancy-related services.

      In addition to any penalties imposed pursuant to the New Jersey consumer fraud act or any other provision of law, a crisis pregnancy center that violates the bill’s provisions is required to:

      (1) immediately cease and desist the false or misleading representation, advertisement, announcement, or statement;

and       (2) issue an advertisement, announcement, or statement, correcting the false or misleading representation, advertisement, announcement, or statement that was the subject of the violation.

      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 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 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.  The term “false or misleading” is defined to mean:

      (1) falsely representing or implying that the crisis pregnancy center provides abortion or other pregnancy-related services if the crisis pregnancy center does not provide such services;

      (2) falsely representing that the crisis pregnancy center is a health care facility if the crisis pregnancy center is not, and if the crisis pregnancy center is not, failing to disclose that the crisis pregnancy center is not a health care facility;

or       (3) failing to disclose at the time of service, or failing to disclose clearly and conspicuously in any advertisement, announcement, or statement, that the crisis pregnancy center does not provide referrals to abortion or other pregnancy-related services.