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Impact on Public Policy: Buffer Zone Ordinances

Creation of Local Buffer Zone Ordinance (Pittsburgh, December 2005)

Women’s Advocates Celebrate New Protection for Patients, Escorts, and Protesters
15-Foot Clinic Buffer Zone, 8-Foot Personal Bubble Zone Bill Passes Pittsburgh City Council

In response to an atmosphere of heightened conflict and confrontational protests in front of women’s health clinics, the Women’s Law Project researched and organized support for a Pittsburgh ordinance that would establish limited medical safety zones around health care facilities, including those that provide abortion care. Bill 1944 sponsored by Pittsburgh City Council members Doug Shields, Bill Peduto, Sala Udin, and Jim Motznik would establish a safety zone of 15 feet around the entrance to a health care facility, within which people may not congregate, patrol, picket or demonstrate. It would also bar anyone near a health care facility from knowingly approaching within 8 feet of another person to leaflet, display a sign to, or engage in oral protest, education or counseling unless that person consents. On December 7, 2005, after three and a half hours of testimony from pro- and anti-choice citizens, City Council voted in favor of the ordinance to support safe, unfettered access to medical facilities. The final vote was taken on December 13, 2005, and the ordinance was passed with a 6-3 vote. Voting in support of the ordinance were Councilpersons Deasy, Carlisle, Motznik, Peduto, Shields, and Udin.

The ordinance is modeled in part after a Colorado statute that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Hill v. Colorado in 2000. The Court held that the statute did not interfere with protesters’ First Amendment rights, but merely placed a minor place restriction on speech. The Women’s Law Project is proud to support this necessary and narrowly tailored legislation, and extends our gratitude to City Council for voting to approve it.

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