Representative Bill Post’s women’s health bill denied a hearing
By Naomi Inman,
Freelance writer
In the recent 2016 Oregon legislative session, rife with controversial legislation over unprecedented minimum wage increases, environmental controls, and new layers of regulation on Oregon landlords, one bill titled “The Pregnant Women’s Assistance Fund (HB4059) never made it past Mitch Greenlick’s desk to a hearing. The reason? “This bill is far too controversial for a short session,” Greenlick told the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Bill Post (R, D-25 Keizer). “We aren’t going to hear it.”
“Controversy is apparently in the eyes of the beholder,” said Rep. Post in an interview with Oregon Watchdog. HB4059, sponsored by bi-partisans Betty Komp (D, Dist. 22) and Bill Post (R, Dist.25) would form a fund to provide wrap-around services for pregnant women on the Oregon Health Plan who want to have their baby. Services consist of all prenatal through postpartum care, including adoption services, nutrition, housing, parenting support and help finding employment.
Komp and Post sent the bill to Rep. Greenlick-D, chair of the House Healthcare Committee, asking for a hearing. Greenlick presented the bill to House Speaker Tina Kotek (D, Dist. 44), who denied a hearing and killed the bill. The Oregon Health Plan currently funds more than 3,500 abortions a year to the cost of $1.8 million annually. These same dollars set aside for abortions are not available for women who choose a live birth. It’s why Rep. Post wrote the bill. “The point is I’m giving you the choice to carry your baby for nine months and we will take care of every need.”
(Source)
Disclaimer: Articles featured on Oregon Report are the creation, responsibility and opinion of the authoring individual or organization which is featured at the top of every article.