Under the initiative, which would affect four centers in the city, counseling centers would be required to post signs in English and Spanish explaining that they do not "provide or make referral for abortion or birth-control services." If inspectors note that the signs are not visible, the center will be given 10 days to post a notice before incurring a $150 daily fine.

"At the very least now, these centers will have to put a sign up that lets women know that information about birth control and abortion won't be found within those doors," said Keiren Havens, vice president of communications for Planned Parenthood of Maryland, which has been an advocate of the bill.

The head of two of the pregnancy centers that would be affected by the bill said that she was disturbed by the implications of the legislation.

"The passage of this piece of legislation may serve as serious encouragement to those who would like to see our organizations saddled with more laws and restrictions," said Carol A. Clews, executive director of the Center for Pregnancy Concerns, a nonprofit anti-abortion organization that receives donations from religious groups and has operated in the city for 30 years.

The crisis centers are "very upfront about the services that we provide and the services we don't provide," Clews said.

Most of the clients are women who have already decided to continue their pregnancies but are seeking help with utility bills or job referrals or who need maternity clothes and prenatal vitamins, she said.

Council members who voted against the bill asked why similar demands were not placed on abortion clinics.

"It should not just apply to these four centers," said Councilman James B. Kraft, who tried unsuccessfully last week to broaden the scope of the bill. "But if you hold out yourself as a facility that gives advice to a young woman who finds herself pregnant - whether she wants abortion, comprehensive birth control, prenatal care, postnatal care - there should be a sign saying we do not provide advice on this one option."

Councilman Bernard "Jack" Young, who joined Kraft and Councilwoman Agnes Welch in opposing the bill, said he visited a pregnancy center in his district and did not see evidence that they mislead women.

"I'm a firm believer that what's good for the goose is good for the gander," said Young, who supports abortion only in rape cases.

"If they're going to ask the pregnancy centers to post a notice, they should ask Planned Parenthood, too.