Pro-Life Bill by Rep. Wilkins Fails to Pass House Public Health
HB1100 by Representative Butch Wilkins (D-Bono) failed by a vote of 10 to 7 to pass the House Public Health Committee today.
The bill would have prevented taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions under the state insurance exchanges due to be set up next year as part of Obamacare. The bill would have allowed abortions to be paid for privately, without public funds.
Below is a breakdown of the vote from today’s meeting. An “Aye” vote means the committee member supported the bill; a “Nay” vote means the committee member opposed the bill; a “Present” vote means the committee member did not want to vote either way. The bill needed at least 11 votes to pass.
On another note, Representative Greg Leding (D-Fayetteville) voiced opposition to the bill by telling a private citizen who came to testify in favor of the bill that “pro-life” is “just a silly label,” and even went so far as to ask the “pro-death” members of the committee to raise their hands.