Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pitches $100 million for crisis pregnancy centers

Tennessee
Gov. Invoice Lee (R) proposed plans to direct $100 million in taxpayer {dollars} to disaster being pregnant facilities, declaring that the state has “an ethical obligation” to assist households following the Supreme Court docket overturning
Roe v. Wade
final 12 months.

Lee is looking for establishing a grant program to assist
disaster being pregnant facilities
working within the state to enhance “entry to healthcare and data for anticipating moms,” which, if accredited by the legislature, would characterize a big funding within the services, which usually supply counseling and different prenatal providers to pregnant ladies as an alternative choice to abortion.

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“Final 12 months, Tennessee’s finances funded ultrasound machines at disaster being pregnant clinics throughout the state. This 12 months, I’m proposing a $100 million grant program to companion with nonprofits that serve moms, fathers, and households throughout a disaster being pregnant,” mentioned Lee throughout his State of the State tackle Monday night time. “Our Workplace of Religion-Primarily based Initiatives has a novel capacity, and an necessary alternative, to interact nonprofits and group organizations. I consider it’s time to equip them with the sources they should play an even bigger function as we endeavor to raised serve youngsters and households.”

The state just isn’t the one one directing cash towards disaster being pregnant facilities. In fiscal 2021-2022, nearly $89 million was directed to the facilities throughout a dozen states,
in accordance
to an evaluation of state budgets by the Related Press.

Lee additionally proposed extra investments in TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program that primarily supplies healthcare for low-income pregnant ladies. As a part of his finances plan, Lee is pushing for TennCare to cowl the price of diapers for the primary two years of a child’s life.

“If accredited, Tennessee would be the first Medicaid program within the nation to implement this sort of assist,” mentioned Lee. “That is pro-life. That is pro-family.”

Tennessee has an abortion ban that went into impact after the Supreme Court docket’s ruling final 12 months, which makes performing an abortion a felony. The regulation is taken into account one of many strictest within the nation and doesn’t present exceptions for rape or incest. A number of state Republican lawmakers have expressed
assist
for explicitly carving out an exception for the lifetime of the mom in latest weeks.

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Lee at present serves on the advisory board for Hope Clinic for Ladies, a faith-based disaster being pregnant heart.