Alva Review-Courier -

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked a new Illinois law that allows the state to penalize anti-abortion pregnancy centers if they use deception to interfere with patients seeking the procedure.

U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston said Thursday the new law "is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment."

The law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week bans anti-abortion pregnancy centers, often referred to as "crisis pregnancy centers," from using "misinformation, deceptive practices, or misrepresentation" to interfere with access to abortion services or emergency...