UPDATE: The Tennessee Senate passed SB 2494 by a 25-1-1 vote on Monday, March 5.
Pro-Life HB 2262 was passed out of House Health Committee today. The Senate companion bill, Pro-Life SB 2494 by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), will be heard in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday, February 28, at 12:30 p.m (cst). Your voice is needed today if prioritization of Tennessee's Title X funds is to continue being directed away from Planned Parenthood. Please send your email to members of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee today.
Email Senate Committee Members Today!
Last week the newly-elected pro-abortion governor in another state overturned pro-life funding policies of the outgoing governor and, in his first official act, restored state funding for Planned Parenthood. Tennessee must codify into law the pro-life administrative policy of Governor Haslam to ensure that future governors will be bound by funding priorities which prioritize ethical health care providers over abortion facilities.
After years of focused efforts by pro-life lawmakers and principled leadership by Governor Haslam, Tennessee successfully implemented policy in 2011 which has resulted in millions of tax dollars being re-directed away from Planned Parenthood facilities in our state. Under Haslam's direction, an administrative process was established which prioritizes public health departments to receive the public funds appropriated for family planning programs rather than private non-profit organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Prior to 2011, Planned Parenthood affiliates in Tennessee received more than $1.1 million dollars annually.
As Governor Haslam prepares to leave office, Tennessee Right to Life and pro-life legislators seek to make this administrative policy permanent by codifying it in state law. SB 2494 by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) will be heard in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee on Wednesday, February 28 at 12:30 p.m. (CST)