Center For Arizona Policy Pushing Bill To Divert Women From Abortion Providers
The anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy is back at the Capitol with the same bill it tried to pass last year, but failed.
The agency is having a little more luck as the Senate Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to set aside $1.5 million annually for what is being branded as "a family health pilot program."
The goal is to ensure that pregnant women are referred to agencies that will urge them to keep their babies.
Tory Roberg with the Arizona Secular Coalition sees that as bullying.
"This money will be used to shame women. It will be used to hurt women. It will be used to give women fewer choices in their health care," said Roberg.
Lobbyist Cathi Herrod was unapologetic on behalf of her bill when asked if it would cut off Planned Parenthood from receiving any women’s health care services, including mammograms, pap smears and other wellness checkups.
The committee vote does not guarantee success for anti-abortion supporters. GOP Sens. Heather Carter and Kate Brophy McGee voted against it last year and haven’t indicated they’ve changed their minds this year.
