The state House in Tennessee has approved a piece of legislation that will have the state opt out of using tax money from the state to pay for abortions in Tennessee health insurance exchanges. The bill is in response to the federal health care legislation Congress approved and President Barack Obama signed into law last month that includes massive taxpayer funding of abortion.
House members passed HB 2681 on a 70-23 vote and will help protect residents from some abortion funding. The bill strictly limits the use of public funds in health exchanges mandated by the new federal health insurance plan.
The Tennessee health insurance law states that “No health care plan required to be established in this state through an exchange pursuant to federal health care reform legislation enacted by the 111th Congress shall offer coverage for abortion services.”