Legislation Will Stop Tax Funding
of Abortion in Pennsylvania Exchange
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Governor Tom Corbett signed into
law Monday a measure to protect Pennsylvania tax dollars from being spent on
abortion.
House Bill 818, which passed the state House in April
and Senate on June 5, ensures that Pennsylvania opts out of elective abortion
coverage in the state health insurance exchange created through the Affordable
Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
"House Bill 818 is a true taxpayer protection
bill," said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania
Pro-Life Federation. "We thank Governor Corbett and the legislators for
protecting taxpayers' interests and preserving Pennsylvania's longstanding and
time-tested policy that prevents taxpayer funding of abortion."
The Affordable Care Act includes a provision
allowing states to opt-out of abortion coverage in the health insurance
exchanges. Pennsylvania joins more than 30 other states that have, or are in
the process of, enacting opt-out legislation.
"National polls show the majority of women and
men - on both sides of the abortion issue -- agree that our tax dollars should
not be spent on abortion," Gallagher said. "Without this legislation,
Pennsylvania taxpayers would be forced to support the abortion industry."
House Bill 818 includes exceptions for rape, incest,
and the life of the mother, which are the same exceptions that apply to
Medicaid funding of abortion in Pennsylvania. Therefore, the Pennsylvania bill
is in line with state law and the U.S. Constitution.
The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Donna
Oberlander, R-Clarion.
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