Florida Gov. Bush Proposes $4M State Program To Counsel Pregnant Women About Alternatives to Abortion

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 03 Mar 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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Florida Gov Jeb Bush (R) plans to ask the state Legislature to authorize $4 million to launch a statewide program to counsel pregnant women and promote alternatives to abortion, according to a proposal announced on Monday by Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings (R) at the Women's Help Center in Jacksonville, the... St. Petersburg Times reports (Bousquet, St. Petersburg Times, 3/1). The Pregnancy Support Services Program would establish a toll-free hotline to direct women with unplanned pregnancies to local not-for-profit organizations that oppose abortion rights. The organizations -- which would receive state grants and could include religious organizations -- would provide services for pregnant women, including helping to find shelter, maternity clothing and infant supplies and providing information about adoption. The program also would provide pregnancy support services, state-funded individual counseling for women up to one year after giving birth and parental skill development classes. In addition, the program would promote abstinence as the best way to prevent unplanned pregnancies (Kerr, Florida Times-Union, 3/1). Program funding, which Bush included in his proposed 2005 budget, must be approved by the state Legislature, which reconvenes next week. Jennings -- who was joined by several Republican lawmakers and leaders of Florida Right to Life, the Florida Catholic Conference, Interfaith of Northeast Florida and the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville -- said, "We must create as many avenues as possible for pregnant women to be informed of their options other than abortion because we know that these decisions have a profound impact on their families and our community as a whole" (Mussenden, Orlando Sentinel, 3/1). The Florida program is modeled after a similar Pennsylvania program, known as Real Alternatives (St. Petersburg Times, 3/1).

Reaction
"The abortion option is always there, with all the pro-abortion networks. It's about time that we got more government funds to support adoption," FRL spokesperson Lynda Bell said. However, Stephanie Grutman, executive director of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, said that Planned Parenthood clinics in the state already provide pregnant women with "unbiased" information about abortion and adoption. According to Grutman, Bush's plan would give women "one-sided information." State Rep. Anne Gannon (D) said that the $4 million would be better spent on family planning programs and contraception education designed to prevent unplanned pregnancies (Orlando Sentinel, 3/1).

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