Relating to funding services for pregnant persons other than types of abortions on which federal moneys may not be spent; providing that this Act shall be referred to the people for their approval or rejection.
Summary
HB 2382 would create a new Oregon Health Authority grant program, funded through a dedicated Pregnancy Assistance Fund, to support private nonprofit entities that help pregnant and postpartum people carry pregnancies to term. Eligible grantees could provide or connect people to services such as medical care, nutrition support, adoption services, parenting education, housing assistance, and help with education or employment. The bill also requires participating entities to provide information about fetal development, medical care, and nutrition.
The measure further restricts state Medicaid reimbursement for abortions. Under the bill, the Oregon Health Authority could reimburse abortions only when the procedure is necessary to avoid impairment of the pregnant person’s major bodily functions or when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. The bill would be referred to Oregon voters at the next regular general election rather than taking effect solely through legislative enactment.
Impact
HB 2382 would add a new statutory framework directing the Oregon Health Authority to administer grants from a newly created, continuously appropriated Pregnancy Assistance Fund. It would also require minimum biennial deposits into that fund, including an amount tied to prior state spending on abortion reimbursements and future increases indexed to inflation. In addition, the bill would narrow the circumstances under which the state’s medical assistance program may reimburse abortions and require OHA to adopt rules to verify compliance.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee transcripts or votes, the available record does not show formal legislative debate or a documented vote history. The measure’s structure suggests a strongly policy-driven and ideologically significant proposal focused on promoting childbirth-support services while limiting public funding for most abortions. Its referral to the voters indicates the sponsors anticipated the issue would be decided through direct public approval rather than routine legislative consensus.
Contention
The central point of contention is abortion funding and the scope of state support for reproductive health services. Supporters would likely emphasize the grant program’s assistance for pregnant and postpartum people, including housing, nutrition, and parenting support, while opponents would likely object to the restriction on Medicaid reimbursement for abortions and the requirement that grant recipients primarily encourage carrying pregnancies to term. The bill also raises potential concerns about whether the mandated informational materials and service conditions could be viewed as steering or limiting options for pregnant people.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63 and Title 68, relative to medical facility procedures for women experiencing certain medical conditions.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63 and Title 68, relative to medical facility procedures for women experiencing certain medical conditions.