Gov. Pete Ricketts on Saturday highlighted controversial budget language, which he introduced this Legislative session, to a large group attending the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., according to his spokesman Taylor Gage.Ìý
Ricketts appeared on a panel titled “A Matter of Life and Death: How Government is Deciding Whether you Live or Die.†The Nebraska governor talked about a provision he put into the budget proposal this session that would ensure that health clinics getting Title X funds are “objectively independent†of any clinic that performs, refers or directly counsels for abortion.Ìý
People who testified at a legislative hearing earlier this month on the provision believe the language in the bill (LB944) targets Planned Parenthood, and that it would affect family planning and health care for thousands of Nebraska women and men. Â
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Action by Congress last year allowed Nebraska to take new steps to protect unborn life by ensuring that Title X dollars are not used to fund abortions.
Those who spoke against the provision at the hearing said Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics already do not use state money to preform or refer for abortions because federal law does not allow that. Those who favored the provision said a recent audit put the use of those funds by Planned Parenthood into question.Ìý
Ricketts added the provision, which is similar to language included last year in the 2017-19 budget, for a second time, saying Nebraska is a "pro-life state," and the state’s budget should reflect those values.Ìý
Some senators said such a provision does not belong in a budget document, that it is a matter of policy and should have been introduced in a separate bill. The Appropriations Committee will decide whether or not the provision will stay in the budget proposal.Ìý
At the conference, Ricketts also highlighted a bill — the Compassion and Care for Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act, introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht — that he signed into law in 2017.