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by SCOTT BAKER
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South Carolina lawmakers have a clear opportunity before them: stand with women seeking real support by passing the Pregnancy Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression (CARE) Act.
Pregnancy help centers have quietly served as a lifeline for women in difficult situations for years. They offer tangible resources, including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting classes, diapers, and a listening ear, often at no cost. Most importantly, they meet women where they are: searching for clarity, stability, and a real path forward.
That last point matters. Because in some states, these centers are increasingly being told what they can and cannot say.
Consider Minnesota. State officials there have imposed rules requiring pregnancy centers to follow government-approved scripts and procedures, shaped more by politics than by the needs of the women who walk through their doors. That should give everyone pause. When government starts dictating what nonprofits can say to vulnerable women, it isn’t protecting choice; it’s restricting it.
South Carolina can choose a different path.
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Companion House bills H3504 and H3012, which establish the CARE Act, place no restrictions on women and impose no limits on services. The legislation simply protects pregnancy centers from being pressured into delivering one-size-fits-all messages crafted by bureaucrats. It safeguards these centers’ independence and, by extension, the women who depend on them.
Women facing unexpected pregnancies aren’t looking for talking points. They’re looking for honest answers and guidance they can trust. They deserve accurate information about parenting, adoption, and abortion without those conversations being filtered through a political agenda.
Women aren’t served by silencing one perspective. They’re served by hearing the full picture. Only then can they make truly informed decisions about what’s best for their lives.
That is what empowerment looks like.
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The CARE Act reflects that principle. It holds that empowering women means trusting them with complete information, not limiting it. It recognizes that community-based nonprofits fill gaps that government programs often cannot. And it affirms a broader truth: some of the most meaningful support comes from neighbors and local organizations, not from centralized authority.
At a time when public trust in institutions feels fragile, this kind of legislation matters. It demonstrates that South Carolina values both freedom and compassion, and that it’s possible to stand with women without trying to control their choices or their conversations.
It’s time for South Carolina lawmakers to rise above party lines and do right by women and families. Passing the CARE Act will ensure that women have access to the full range of support and information they need to make confident, informed decisions.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Scott Baker is the Vice President of Public Affairs at Choose Life Coalition.
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