Funding for crisis pregnancy centers could soon double or triple in some states

Abortion-related bills continue to be introduced and debated in legislatures across the country, especially in states where the procedure is already banned. It can be hard to monitor them all, so States Newsroom’s Reproductive Rights Today team tracks certain bills that could become law in their respective states in a biweekly legislative roundup. Depending on the partisan makeup of a state’s legislature and other state government officials, some bills have a higher chance of passing and becoming law than others. 

Arizona

House Bill 2677: House members narrowly voted in favor of repealing an 1864 ban on abortion that contained no exceptions except to save a pregnant patient’s life. The ban was set to take effect June 8 after a ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court earlier this month. Arizona Mirror reported Republican Reps. Matt Gress and Tim Dunn worked to force a vote on the bill on the House floor, where it passed 32-28. If it is approved by the Senate and fully repealed, the state will revert to a policy of a 15-week ban on abortion, which contains exceptions for situations where a pregnancy could cause permanent health effects. But it does not include exceptions for rape or incest.

Status: Passed the House, awaiting consideration in the Senate

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton 

Arkansas

Abortion is banned in nearly all cases in Arkansas.

Senate Bill 64: This bill doubling taxpayer funding for crisis pregnancy centers is now awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Advocate reported. The centers are anti-abortion and often religiously affiliated. The increase would bring the total funding to $2 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, and does not contain provisions for reporting how the funds are spent, although they can’t be used for religious services. There are more than 50 crisis pregnancy centers in Arkansas, the Advocate reported. 

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Sponsor: Republican Sen. John Payton

Kansas

Despite Kansas voters’ overwhelming rejection of abortion bans in a referendum shortly after the Dobbs decision in 2022, lawmakers passed several bills related to abortion. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and six clinics provide in-clinic services.

Senate Bill 28: Kansas lawmakers approved $2 million for the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program as part of a state budget bill, but Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the allocation on Thursday, Kansas Reflector reported. The funds are meant to “enhance and increase resources that promote childbirth instead of abortion” for people handling unplanned pregnancies. Kelly said when Kansans widely rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed abortion bans, they “told politicians they should stop inserting themselves in private medical decisions between women and their doctors.”

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Kansas Insurance Department

House Bill 2436: Kelly also vetoed this bill, which addresses “abortion coercion,” making it a felony to pressure someone into an abortion, including doctors, family members and partners, according to the Reflector. The crime carried felony penalties including prison time and fines. Kelly said no one should be forced to undergo a medical procedure against their will, but she was concerned about the vague, overly broad language of the bill and said threatening someone with violence is already a crime in Kansas. 

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Rebecca Schmoe

Louisiana

Abortion is banned at any stage of pregnancy in Louisiana with exceptions to save a pregnant patient’s life, preserve their health or for fatal fetal anomalies.

Senate Bill 278: Louisiana Illuminator reports lawmakers want to increase taxpayer support for crisis pregnancy centers from $1 million this fiscal year to between $3 million and $5 million next year, and a new bill would require all of that money to go through a single nonprofit organization before it’s allocated to those centers. That nonprofit has not yet been chosen, according to the Illuminator. The program, currently called Alternatives to Abortion, would be renamed the Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Initiative and provide funds for parenting classes, baby supplies and other items. 

Status: Passed the Senate, awaiting consideration in the House

Sponsors: Republican Rep. Jack McFarland and Democratic Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews

Maine

Abortion is broadly legal in Maine, without limits on gestational age.

Legislative Document 227: Lawmakers passed a shield law to protect the state health professionals who provide reproductive and gender-affirming care, Maine Morning Star reported. It joins 22 states and Washington, D.C., in passing such a law protecting health care providers from lawsuits for providing abortion care. It also prevents law enforcement from sharing information about legal procedures with other states. 

Status: Law — signed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Anne Perry   

Missouri

Nearly all abortions are banned in Missouri. 

House Bill 2634: This legislation prohibits the spending of any public funds on an abortion facility or its affiliates or associates, including Medicaid through the MO HealthNet program. Missouri Independent reports the bill is targeting Planned Parenthood clinics, which do not provide abortions in Missouri but may provide referrals to clinics in other states for abortion care. The clinics do provide contraceptives, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer, and general wellness visits. Representatives for the local Planned Parenthood affiliates said they will continue trying to serve all patients, “no matter what.”

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Mike Parson

Sponsor: Republican Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman

Ohio

Abortion is legal in Ohio before viability. 

House Bill 502: Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to protect access to in vitro fertilization procedures, including a shield law preventing civil, criminal or professional actions against anyone for injury or death of any “human reproductive material” when it has yet to be born, Ohio Capital Journal reported. 

Status: Introduced, not yet assigned to committee

Sponsor: Democratic Reps. Anita Somani and Beryl Brown Piccolantonio 

House Bill 475: A Republican representative introduced a new bill to prohibit any entity that “supports, promotes or provides abortions” from receiving state funds, according to the Capital Journal, despite the fact that similar laws already exist. It would require counties and municipal corporations to report any abortion-related spending and to withhold the money and reallocate it to “pregnancy resource centers” which is generally understood to mean anti-abortion facilities also known as crisis pregnancy centers. 

Status: Under consideration in House Government Oversight Committee

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Josh Williams