House rejects abortion funding ban

The House voted 216-142 Wednesday against a bill that would have prohibited state funding from going to organizations that perform or encourage abortions, including Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

These organizations would have been required to establish separate entities for abortion services under House Bill 677, or they would not have been able to receive funding for other health and family planning services.

Supporters of the bill said that taxpayers would indirectly be funding abortions due to state contracts with these organizations.

Rep. Warren Groen (R-Rochester), the bill's prime sponsor, commented, “If you are a father and refuse to take care of the care and maintenance of your child, you’re called a Deadbeat Dad. If you’re a mother and you do not want to take care of the care and maintenance of that child and do away with that child, you are called pro-choice.”

Opponents of the bill noted that taxpayer dollars are already prohibited from funding abortions under federal law and that this bill would end other healthcare services through these organizations.

A similar bill was passed by the House in 2013 but later killed by the Senate.