{"id":170715,"date":"2017-08-15T14:50:12","date_gmt":"2017-08-15T18:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=170715"},"modified":"2017-08-16T14:42:12","modified_gmt":"2017-08-16T18:42:12","slug":"breaking-texas-governor-signs-bill-to-permanently-ban-taxpayer-funding-of-abortion-through-health-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/breaking-texas-governor-signs-bill-to-permanently-ban-taxpayer-funding-of-abortion-through-health-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas governor signs bill to permanently ban taxpayer funding of abortion through health plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed\u00a0legislation to prohibit taxpayers from funding elective abortions<\/a> through their health insurance plans. House Bill 214 (HB 214), which Abbott’s statement called “an important piece of the Governor’s pro-life agenda,” was championed by Sen. Brandon Creighton and Rep.\u00a0John Smithee in a special session.\u00a0The measure does\u00a0not contain exceptions for rape, incest, or fetal abnormalities.<\/p>\n

“As a firm believer in Texas values I am proud to sign legislation that ensures no Texan is ever\u00a0required\u00a0to pay for\u00a0a procedure that ends the life of an unborn child,\u201d Abbott said. \u201cThis bill prohibits insurance providers from forcing Texas policy holders to subsidize elective abortions. I am grateful to the Texas legislature for getting this bill to my desk, and\u00a0working to protect innocent life this special session.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rep.\u00a0John Smithee<\/a>, the lead author of the bill, said the initiative protects the conscience rights of individuals who object to their tax dollars subsidizing abortions: “This isn\u2019t about who can get an abortion. It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Abbott called for the special legislative session to focus on the bill, along with legislation requiring doctors and facilities to report complications associated with abortions in detail.<\/p>\n

Pro-life leaders praised the move. In her testimony before the Texas Senate committee, Elizabeth Graham urged lawmakers to protect the preborn.\u00a0\u201cThe definition of healthcare is to make a person well and to encourage health,\u201d Graham explained. \u201cThe definition of a successful abortion is the complete death of the unborn child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abbott has been a strong proponent of pro-life values, and he vowed to make Texas<\/a> the “strongest pro-life state in the nation.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed\u00a0legislation to prohibit taxpayers from funding elective abortions through their health insurance plans. House Bill 214 (HB 214), which Abbott’s statement called “an important piece of the Governor’s pro-life agenda,” was championed by Sen. Brandon Creighton and Rep.\u00a0John Smithee in a special session.\u00a0The measure does\u00a0not contain exceptions for rape, incest, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":248,"featured_media":127114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[3473,9459],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nTexas governor signs bill to permanently ban taxpayer funding of abortion through health plans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""This isn\u2019t about who can get an abortion. It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion." ~ Rep. 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