The Baltimore City Council is set to vote on a bill that would require crisis pregnancy centers -- and only crisis pregnancy centers -- to post signs indicating that they don't provide abortions, or risk paying a daily fine:

"This is clearly something that targets only pro-life centers," [the associate director of the Maryland Catholic Conference's respect-life office] said. "It seems the council is not really recognizing the value that pregnancy centers provide to the community. They are listening to hearsay about pregnancy centers from the bill's ideological supporters."

The bill is being pushed by abortion proponents such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, which claim that pro-life pregnancy centers "mislead" clients. Despite those charges, out of more than 50 people who testified at an Oct. 27 public bill hearing, no actual clients said they were misled. 

The kicker: 

Councilman James B. Kraft's proposal to broaden the bill to require abortion providers to post signs indicating specific services they do not provide (including adoption, counseling and pre- and post-natal assistance) was rejected.

Naturally. This bill is nothing more than political water-carrying for Planned Parenthood, which has made it clear that Charm City is merely their first stop: They hope to make Baltimore "the first [city] in the nation to require these centers to post signage." That's not the kind of distinction we need, I think.

Maryland voters can learn more and contact council members here.