California, one of the most pro-abortion states in the U.S., advanced legislation Wednesday to force every health insurance plan in the state to pay for unborn babies to be killed in abortions.
East County Today reports the state Senate Health Committee voted 8-2 along party lines to advance the pro-abortion bill, Senate Bill 245.
Sponsored by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, the bill would make all abortions in California free by requiring all public and private insurance plans to cover abortions without a co-pay, deductible or any other costs.
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“For over four decades, the American people have spoken loudly and clearly: The government should not force us to pay for abortions,” said California Family Council president Jonathan Keller. “But with SB 245, Senator Lena Gonzalez would require millions of pro-life Californians to violate their consciences and fund abortion through their health insurance.”
Keller said the legislation violates federal laws, including the Weldon Amendment, as well as the beliefs of millions of people of faith.
California already forces taxpayers to pay for abortions through the state Medicaid program. It also forces insurance companies to cover abortions, and forces public colleges and universities to provide abortions on campus to students.
“SB 245 will mandate that no co-pays or deductibles can be charged for abortion,” Californians for Life wrote in an email to supporters. “Killing babies is never healthcare.”
Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services determined that California was breaking federal law by forcing private health insurance plans to cover elective abortions. Former HHS Secretary Alex Azar said California would be penalized with $200 million in federal funding cuts unless it stopped forcing churches and other objectors to cover abortions in their private health plans.
However, Azar, a pro-life conservative appointed by President Donald Trump, is no longer in the position. The new HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is a radical pro-abortion Democrat who voted against banning partial-birth abortions and supports forcing taxpayers to pay for abortions.
California pro-life leaders urged people to contact their legislators and ask them to vote no on the radical new bill.
“The Democrat party’s unlimited, never-ending promotion of abortion is atrocious,” Californians for Life said. “Make sure your senator knows that you oppose these pro-abortion legislation.”
Polls consistently show that most Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortions.
A January Marist poll found that 58 percent of Americans oppose using tax dollars to fund abortions in the U.S. Additionally, 77 percent oppose using tax dollars to fund abortions in other countries.
A 2016 Harvard/Politico poll also found that a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortions. Significantly, the poll found that low-income Americans are more strongly opposed than rich Americans to being forced to fund the killing of unborn babies with their tax dollars.
ACTION ALERT: Contact California state senators and urge them to vote no on the bill.
