The New Hampshire House today rejected a bill that would have blocked the use of government funds to pay for abortions.
The anti-abortion measure was defeated by a margin of about 100 votes.
New Hampshire Public Radio’s David Darman has more.
Sponsors of the bill to ban public money from abortions said federal restrictions on spending don’t go far enough.
Under current law, no federal dollars can be spent on abortion procedures, except in cases of rape or incest, or if the life of the mother is at risk.
But clinics that provide abortions can receive federal money for the other services they offer, such as annual heath exams and immunizations.
Representative Timothy Easson of Farmington said clinics like Planned Parenthood have ways of getting around those restrictions.
It is completely ridiculous to say that no government funds are used for abortions at planned parenthood in derry. Money is money. If we save abortion providers money in any area, that is money they don’t have to come up with, and thus it frees up money to be used for abortions.
The bill would block state spending on abortions and any counseling that might include abortion as an option, except to save a woman’s life.
And in cases when the woman’s health was at risk, the bill would require a second medical opinion.
Critics of the bill said it would have cut funds to many health professionals.
They said that would cost the state more than one million dollars in federal funds.
Representative Betty Lasky said the money lost would be from Medicaid.
This would severely impact a wide range of women’s health services, including family planning, disease prevention and cancer screening that is provided by 26 clinics statewide to over 32,000 primarily low income women.
At least 3 other bills seeking to curb abortions are scheduled to come before the legislature this year.
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