FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     CONTACT:Rachel Schlater

DATE: Tuesday, July 12, 2011                                              PHONE:(614) 547-0099

(COLUMBUS, OH) – Both chambers of the Ohio Legislature introduced legislation endorsed by Ohio Right to Life today to prioritize public funding for local health departments and community health centers instead of clinics that perform abortions.  State Representatives Kristina Roegner and Cliff Rosenberger and State Senator Kris Jordan sponsored companion legislation that will redirect millions of taxpayer dollars away from groups like Planned Parenthood and towards the hundreds of health centers that provide responsible health care for women, their children and unborn children.

“This pro-life initiative is an extension of Ohio’s 2004 law which prioritized state women’s health services funds towards local departments of health.  This legislation will apply these same state standards towards various federal family planning dollars as well,” said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director for Ohio Right to Life.  “Taxpayer funded health centers and community health centers should receive the utmost consideration from the government when distributing these limited resources,” said Gonidakis.

The abortion industry and their lobbyists will recklessly claim that women will be denied health care with the enactment of this legislation.  The fact of the matter is that there are over 130 health districts and over 160 community health centers in Ohio that provide family planning services as well as comprehensive primary care.  Groups like Planned Parenthood are only attempting to protect taxpayer money they have received for decades.

The abortion industry repeatedly claims that without taxpayer funding for family planning, abortions will increase. However, since 1998, government funding and contracts to Planned Parenthood has almost doubled from $165 million per year to $363.3 million.  During the same time period, abortions have increased at Planned Parenthood from 165,509 per year to 332,278.

Simply put, taxpayer funding of abortion providers and their affiliates has done nothing to help women and certainly not their unborn child.

Please join Ohio Right to Life in thanking Representatives Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) and Senator Kris Jordan (R- Delaware) for their pro-life leadership. To read the legislation, click HERE.