Florida taxpayers soon could fund anti-abortion pregnancy centers thanks to a bill that has passed the Republican-led House.
The vote on Wednesday was divided along party lines and highlighted concerns from Democrats, who call the proposal reckless because state funds would "irresponsibly provide ideological, and not medical, treatment to patients."
Rep. Jackie Toledo, a Republican sponsoring the bill, said the proposal simply gives women, whether pregnant or not, more resources if they are seeking services that improve their health. The state would not mandate these centers to have medical providers on site, where certain vaccines and medical screenings would be performed.
Service providers can include faith-based organizations, but no religious content is allowed to be promoted.
