The New Jersey legislature on Monday approved a bill that would restore state taxpayer funding for family planning programs, which sends money to the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
The state Assembly approved a pair of bills to restore the funding pro-life Gov. Chris Christie revoked for financial reasons. However, the passage of the bills came seven votes shy of what is needed to override another expected gubernatorial veto.
The state Senate is expected to consider legislation to restore the controversial funding early next month.
One of the bills, which would require the state to apply to expand its Medicaid coverage for family-planning services to people with incomes between 133 percent and 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines, passed 44-25 with 9 abstentions, according to the Asbury Park Press.
The other bill, that transfers $5 million in reserve funds to the family planning program, passed 44-25 with 10 abstentions.
Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose, a Republican from Sussex, said the bills should be opposed because they prop up the abortion industry. She bemoaned what she said was the fact that New Jersey is one of 17 states to pay for abortions with state Medicaid taxpayer funds.
“The federal waiver will actually bring more money into Planned Parenthood’s coffers, increase its numbers of eligible clients and result in a lucrative expansion and promotion of Planned Parenthood’s abortion business in New Jersey, all to the detriment of women and children’s lives and health, and all paid for by the taxpayers of New Jersey,” McHose said. “If you want to lower the abortion rate in this state, stop the taxpayer funding of abortions.”
New Jersey Right to Life director Marie Tasy said after the vote: “We wish to thank Assemblywoman Alison McHose (R-24) and Assemblyman Gary Chiusano (R-24) for speaking out in opposition to these bills during the Assembly voting session.”
“We also wish to thank Senator Steve Oroho (R-24), Senator Joseph Pennacchio (R-26), Senator Michael Doherty (R-23) and Senator Anthony Bucco (R-25) for speaking out against these bills during the 11-15 Senate Budget Committee,” she added.
Len Deo of the New Jersey Family Policy Council also responded and condemned how “the Medicaid application for Obamacare funding secured by Congressman Frank Pallone, is being pushed by various Democratic legislators.”
“For each dollar the state spends, the Federal government matches with nine dollars. What people are failing to realize is where that money comes from – our pockets,” he said.
Two Democrats — Joseph Egan, D-Middlesex, and Gary Schaer, D-Passaic — voted to abstain on both bills and Assemblyman Tom Giblin, D-Essex, abstained on transfering the money.
The Senate has not yet scheduled these bills for a vote, but the Senate Budget Committee released Bill S2393/A3273 from Committee on November 15th, she indicated.
One New Jersey Planned Parenthood center closed after Christie shut off funding.
