{"id":289758,"date":"2023-04-25T20:41:05","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T01:41:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=289758"},"modified":"2023-04-25T16:04:41","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T21:04:41","slug":"tennessee-slashes-proposed-pregnancy-center-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/tennessee-slashes-proposed-pregnancy-center-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee slashes proposed pregnancy center funding while barring local funding of abortions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tennessee lawmakers have continued altering their post-Roe<\/em> policy with measures targeting taxpayer support for abortion and pregnancy centers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week, Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed a bill that prohibits local governments from assisting another person in obtaining an abortion that would be illegal in Tennessee. That includes support through a health plan or by funding out-of-state travel for an abortion. According to <\/span>WTVF<\/span><\/a>, Nashville lawmakers had asked the Metro Employee Benefit Board to fund out-of-state travel for employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tennessee banned nearly all abortions last year when its trigger law took effect. Lee followed in February by proposing to grant pregnancy centers $100 million in funding.<\/span><\/p>\n

More recently, however, the legislature <\/span>passed<\/span><\/a> its budget but with a much lower funding level of $20 million for pregnancy centers.<\/span>
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\"Walgreens<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear what caused the dramatic reduction, and the <\/span>Associated Press<\/span><\/a> seemed to attribute it to the result of legislative negotiations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bo Watson, chairman of the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, reportedly said that \u201c[a]fter a considerable conversation, both negotiating teams agreed that we would leave $20 million in the budget for crisis pregnancy centers.\u201d He added: \u201cWe would also like to have further discussions on exactly who these crisis pregnancy centers are and what they do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked, Lee\u2019s office didn\u2019t elaborate on the reason for the lower funding level. Instead, it emphasized that \u201cthe Governor has made it a top priority to boost support for mothers, children and families facing a crisis pregnancy.\u201d Part of Lee\u2019s grant program includes support for direct services to mothers, workforce assistance, housing assistance, and support for Tennesseans considering adoption.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those are part of a broader, $600 million investment in Lee\u2019s Strong Tennessee Families initiative, which includes a Medicaid waiver designed to help provide for mothers and infants. Among other things, that entails covering the cost for two years of diapers, making Tennessee\u2019s postpartum coverage permanent, as well as $10.25 million for care in service of children and families impacted by foster care and adoption. <\/span><\/p>\n

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This year, TN has the opportunity to further strengthen postpartum care for mothers & extend @TennCare<\/a> services to more than 25,000 additional women, children & families in need.<\/p>\n

We are committed to supporting strong families & serving the most vulnerable. pic.twitter.com\/TCI7yxDkn7<\/a><\/p>\n

— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) February 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n