State Representatives Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) and Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) today introduced legislation that, when enacted, will prioritize the distribution of taxpayer-supported funds for family planning services.

Top priority would be granted to public entities that provide family planning services (such as local boards of health); second-tier priority would be given to federally qualified health centers, or community health centers; third-tier priority would be given to non-public entities that provide comprehensive primary and preventative care services and family planning services; and fourth-tier priority would be given to non-public entities that provide family planning services but do not provide comprehensive primary and preventative care (such as Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider).

"Certainly, public money should first be spent to fully fund public entities before non-public ones and then should fund those who provide comprehensive care services before funding those who only provide family planning services,” said Roegner. “As a woman and as a taxpayer, establishing priorities for how public money is spent just makes sense.”

This legislation will positively impact taxpayer-funded health organizations as well as comprehensive primary care facilities. While no entity—public or private—will be excluded from applying or receiving such funding, this new legislation will reaffirm the state’s public policy to prefer childbirth over abortion (O.R.C. 9.041).

Similar legislative approaches have been adopted in Texas, Kansas and Tennessee.