SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Anti-Abortion 
Disinformation Act’’ or the ‘‘SAD Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Abortion services are an essential compo-
nent of reproductive healthcare. 
(2) The freedom to decide whether and when to 
have a child is key to the ability of an individual to 
participate fully in our democracy. 
(3) Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are anti- 
abortion organizations that present themselves as 
comprehensive reproductive healthcare providers 
with the intent of discouraging pregnant people from 
having abortions. 
(4) According to the Journal of Medical Inter-
net Research (JMIR) Public Health and Surveil-
lance, there are more than 2,500 CPCs in the 
United States, though some anti-abortion groups 
claim that the number is closer to 4,000. 
(5) According to 2020 data from JMIR Public 
Health and Surveillance, on average, CPCs out-
number abortion clinics nationwide by an average of 
3 to 1. In some States, this statistic is higher. For 
example, The Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s 
Rights & Gender Equality (The Alliance) found that 
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in Pennsylvania, CPCs outnumber abortion clinics 
by 9 to 1. The Alliance also found that in Min-
nesota, CPCs outnumber abortion clinics by 11 to 1. 
(6) CPCs routinely engage in a variety of de-
ceptive tactics, including making false claims about 
reproductive health care and providers, dissemi-
nating inaccurate, misleading, and stigmatizing in-
formation about the risks of abortion and contracep-
tion, and using illegitimate or false citations to 
imply that deceptive claims are supported by legiti-
mate medical sources. 
(7) CPCs typically advertise themselves as pro-
viders of comprehensive healthcare. However, most 
CPCs in the United States do not employ licensed 
medical personnel or provide referrals for birth con-
trol or abortion care. 
(8) By using these deceptive tactics, CPCs pre-
vent people from accessing reproductive healthcare 
and intentionally delay access to time-sensitive abor-
tion services. 
(9) CPCs target underresourced neighborhoods 
and communities of color, including Black, Latino, 
Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and 
immigrant communities, by locating their facilities 
near social services centers and comprehensive re-
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productive health care providers. CPCs place adver-
tisements in these neighborhoods that mislead and 
draw people away from nearby providers that offer 
evidence-based sexual and reproductive health care, 
including abortion care. This exacerbates existing 
health barriers and delays access to time-sensitive 
care. 
(10) People are entitled to honest, accurate, 
and timely information when seeking reproductive 
healthcare. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON DISINFORMATION OF ABORTION 
SERVICES. 
(a) CONDUCT PROHIBITED.— 
(1) RULE REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Commission shall, in accordance with section 553 of 
title 5, United States Code, promulgate rules to pro-
hibit a person from advertising with the use of de-
ceptive or misleading statements related to the pro-
vision of abortion services. 
(2) ENFORCEMENT
BY
THE
COMMISSION.—A 
violation of a rule promulgated under subsection (a) 
shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an 
unfair or deceptive act or practice under section 
18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
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(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). Except as otherwise pro-
vided, the Commission shall enforce such rule in the 
same manner, by the same means, and with the 
same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all 
applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade 
Commission Act were incorporated into and made a 
part of this section. Any person who violates this 
section shall be subject to the penalties and entitled 
to the privileges and immunities provided in the 
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et 
seq.). 
(3) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS.—The Com-
mission shall enforce this section with respect to an 
organization that is not organized to carry on busi-
ness for its own profit or that of its members as if 
such organization were a person over which the 
Commission has authority pursuant to section 
5(a)(2) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 
U.S.C. 45(a)(2)). 
(4) CIVIL PENALTY.—In addition to any other 
penalty as may be prescribed by law, in an action 
brought by the Commission under this section, the 
total civil penalty shall not exceed the greater of— 
(A) $100,000; or 
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(B) 50 percent of the revenues earned by 
the ultimate parent entity of a person during 
the preceding 12-month period. 
(5) INDEPENDENT LITIGATION AUTHORITY.—If 
the Commission has reason to believe that a person 
has violated this section, the Commission may bring 
a civil action in any appropriate United States dis-
trict court to— 
(A) enjoin any further such violation by 
such person; 
(B) enforce compliance with this section; 
(C) obtain a permanent, temporary, or pre-
liminary injunction; 
(D) obtain civil penalties; 
(E) obtain damages, restitution, or other 
compensation on behalf of aggrieved consumers; 
or 
(F) obtain any other appropriate equitable 
relief. 
(b) REPORTS.— 
(1) REPORT ON PLAN FOR ENFORCEMENT.— 
Not later than 60 days after the date on which a 
final rule under subsection (a)(1) is issued, the Com-
mission shall submit to Congress a report detailing 
a plan to enforce the rule. 
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