Bill Text: IA HF236 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the distribution of certain funds for abortions, and including effective date provisions.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 12)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-07 - Introduced, referred to Human Resources. H.J. 238. [HF236 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF236-Introduced.html

House File 236 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  SALMON, SHEETS,
                                     HEARTSILL, HOLT,
                                     GUSTAFSON, WHEELER,
                                     GASSMAN, FISHER,
                                     WATTS, BAXTER,
                                     LUNDGREN, and CARLIN

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the distribution of certain funds for
  2    abortions, and including effective date provisions.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN



  1  1                           DIVISION I
  1  2             STATE FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES PROGRAM
  1  3    Section 1.  STATE FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES PROGRAM ====
  1  4 ESTABLISHMENT ==== DISCONTINUATION OF MEDICAID FAMILY PLANNING
  1  5 NETWORK WAIVER.
  1  6    1.  The department of human services shall discontinue the
  1  7 Medicaid family planning network waiver effective July 1, 2017,
  1  8 and shall instead establish a state family planning services
  1  9 program.  The state program shall replicate the eligibility
  1 10 requirements and other provisions included in the Medicaid
  1 11 family planning network waiver as approved by the centers for
  1 12 Medicare and Medicaid services of the United States department
  1 13 of health and human services in effect on June 30, 2017, but
  1 14 shall provide for distribution of the family planning services
  1 15 program funds in accordance with this section.
  1 16    2.  Distribution of family planning services program funds
  1 17 shall be made to eligible applicants in the following order of
  1 18 priority:
  1 19    a.  Public entities that provide family planning services
  1 20 including state, county, or local community health clinics and
  1 21 federally qualified health centers.
  1 22    b.  Nonpublic entities that, in addition to family planning
  1 23 services, provide required primary health services as described
  1 24 in 42 U.S.C. {254b(b)(1)(A).
  1 25    c.  Nonpublic entities that provide family planning
  1 26 services but do not provide required primary health services as
  1 27 described in 42 U.S.C. {254b(b)(1)(A).
  1 28    3.  Distribution of family planning services program funds
  1 29 under this section shall be made in a manner that continues
  1 30 access to family planning services.
  1 31    4.  Distribution of family planning services program funds
  1 32 shall not be made to any entity that performs abortions or that
  1 33 maintains or operates a facility where abortions are performed.
  1 34 For the purposes of this section, "abortion" does not include
  1 35 any of the following:
  2  1    a.  The treatment of a woman for a physical disorder,
  2  2 physical injury, or physical illness, including a
  2  3 life=endangering physical condition caused by or arising from
  2  4 the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician,
  2  5 place the woman in danger of death.
  2  6    b.  The treatment of a woman for a spontaneous abortion,
  2  7 commonly known as a miscarriage.
  2  8    5.  Family planning services program funds distributed in
  2  9 accordance with this section shall not be used for direct or
  2 10 indirect costs, including but not limited to administrative
  2 11 costs or expenses, overhead, employee salaries, rent, and
  2 12 telephone and other utility costs, related to providing
  2 13 abortions as specified in subsection 4.
  2 14    6.  The department of human services shall submit a report to
  2 15 the governor and the general assembly, annually by January 1,
  2 16 listing any entities that received funds pursuant to subsection
  2 17 2, paragraph "c", and the amount and type of funds received by
  2 18 such entities during the preceding calendar year.  The report
  2 19 shall provide a detailed explanation of how the department
  2 20 determined that distribution of family planning services
  2 21 program funds to such an entity, instead of to an entity
  2 22 described in subsection 2, paragraph "a" or "b", was necessary
  2 23 to prevent severe limitation or elimination of access to family
  2 24 planning services in the region of the state where the entity
  2 25 is located.
  2 26    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This division of this
  2 27 Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon
  2 28 enactment.
  2 29                           DIVISION II
  2 30    DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL FUNDS ==== RESTRICTIONS ==== ABORTION
  2 31    Sec. 3.  DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES ACT
  2 32 FUNDS FOR FAMILY PLANNING.
  2 33    1.  The department of public health shall annually apply
  2 34 to the United States department of health and human services
  2 35 for grant funding under Tit. X of the federal Public Health
  3  1 Services Act, 42 U.S.C. {300 et seq.  The department shall
  3  2 distribute all grant funding received to applicants in the
  3  3 following order of priority:
  3  4    a.  Public entities that provide family planning services
  3  5 including state, county, or local community health clinics and
  3  6 federally qualified health centers.
  3  7    b.  Nonpublic entities that, in addition to family planning
  3  8 services, provide required primary health services as described
  3  9 in 42 U.S.C. {254b(b)(1)(A).
  3 10    c.  Nonpublic entities that provide family planning
  3 11 services but do not provide required primary health services as
  3 12 described in 42 U.S.C. {254b(b)(1)(A).
  3 13    2.  Distribution of funds under this section shall be made in
  3 14 a manner that continues access to family planning services.
  3 15    3.  Distribution of funds shall not be made to any entity
  3 16 that performs abortions or that maintains or operates a
  3 17 facility where abortions are performed.  For the purposes of
  3 18 this section, "abortion" does not include any of the following:
  3 19    a.  The treatment of a woman for a physical disorder,
  3 20 physical injury, or physical illness, including a
  3 21 life=endangering physical condition caused by or arising from
  3 22 the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician,
  3 23 place the woman in danger of death.
  3 24    b.  The treatment of a woman for a spontaneous abortion,
  3 25 commonly known as a miscarriage.
  3 26    4.  Funds distributed in accordance with this section shall
  3 27 not be used for direct or indirect costs, including but not
  3 28 limited to administrative costs or expenses, overhead, employee
  3 29 salaries, rent, and telephone and other utility costs, related
  3 30 to providing abortions as specified in this section.
  3 31    5.  The department of public health shall submit a report to
  3 32 the governor and the general assembly, annually by January 1,
  3 33 listing any entities that received funds pursuant to subsection
  3 34 1, paragraph "c", and the amount and type of funds received by
  3 35 such entities during the preceding calendar year.  The report
  4  1 shall provide a detailed explanation of how the department
  4  2 determined that distribution of funds to such an entity,
  4  3 instead of to an entity described in subsection 1, paragraph
  4  4 "a" or "b", was necessary to prevent severe limitation or
  4  5 elimination of access to family planning services in the region
  4  6 of the state where the entity is located.
  4  7    Sec. 4.  ADMINISTRATION OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
  4  8 EDUCATION PROGRAM AND ABSTINENCE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM
  4  9 FUNDS.  Any contract entered into on or after July 1, 2017,
  4 10 by the department of public health to administer the personal
  4 11 responsibility education program as specified in 42 U.S.C.
  4 12 {713 or to administer the abstinence education grant program
  4 13 authorized pursuant to section 510 of Tit. V of the federal
  4 14 Social Security Act, shall exclude as an eligible applicant any
  4 15 applicant entity that provides abortions, maintains or operates
  4 16 a facility where abortions are performed, or regularly makes
  4 17 referrals to an entity that provides abortions or maintains or
  4 18 operates a facility where abortions are performed. For the
  4 19 purposes of this section, such referrals include but are not
  4 20 limited to referrals made by reference to an internet site or
  4 21 by linking to an internet site maintained by an entity that
  4 22 provides abortions or maintains or operates a facility where
  4 23 abortions are performed.
  4 24    Sec. 5.  AWARD OF COMMUNITY ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION
  4 25 AND SERVICES PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS.  Any contract entered into on
  4 26 or after July 1, 2017, by the department of human services to
  4 27 award a community adolescent pregnancy prevention and services
  4 28 program grant using federal temporary assistance for needy
  4 29 families block grant funds appropriated to the department
  4 30 shall exclude as an eligible applicant any applicant entity
  4 31 that provides abortions, maintains or operates a facility
  4 32 where abortions are performed, or regularly makes referrals to
  4 33 an entity that provides abortions or maintains or operates a
  4 34 facility where abortions are performed. For the purposes of
  4 35 this section, such referrals include but are not limited to
  5  1 referrals made by reference to an internet site or by linking
  5  2 to an internet site maintained by an entity that provides
  5  3 abortions or maintains or operates a facility where abortions
  5  4 are performed.
  5  5                          DIVISION III
  5  6                      RIGHT OF INTERVENTION
  5  7    Sec. 6.  RIGHT OF INTERVENTION.  The sponsor or cosponsors
  5  8 of this Act, as an agent or agents of the state, shall have
  5  9 standing to intervene on behalf of the general assembly as a
  5 10 party in any judicial or administrative proceeding challenging
  5 11 the provisions of this Act.
  5 12                           DIVISION IV
  5 13                          SEVERABILITY
  5 14    Sec. 7.  SEVERABILITY.  If any provision of this Act or
  5 15 the application of this Act to any person or circumstances is
  5 16 held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions
  5 17 or applications of the Act which can be given effect without
  5 18 the invalid provisions or application and, to this end, the
  5 19 provisions of this Act are severable.
  5 20                           EXPLANATION
  5 21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  5 22 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  5 23    This bill relates to the distribution of certain funds
  5 24 relative to abortions.
  5 25    Division I of the bill establishes a state family planning
  5 26 services program and discontinues the Medicaid family planning
  5 27 network waiver.
  5 28    The division directs the department of human services (DHS)
  5 29 to discontinue the Medicaid family planning network waiver
  5 30 effective July 1, 2017, and to instead establish a state family
  5 31 planning services program.  The state program is to replicate
  5 32 the eligibility requirements and other provisions included in
  5 33 the Medicaid family planning network waiver, but the program
  5 34 funds are to be distributed in accordance with a prioritization
  5 35 schedule specified in the division.
  6  1 The program funds are to be distributed in a manner that
  6  2 continues access to family planning services, but are not to
  6  3 be distributed to any entity that performs abortions or that
  6  4 maintains or operates a facility where abortions are performed.
  6  5 The division makes exceptions to the definition of "abortion"
  6  6 for the purpose of distribution of the funds.
  6  7    The division also specifies that the funds distributed shall
  6  8 not be used for direct or indirect costs, including but not
  6  9 limited to administrative costs or expenses, overhead, employee
  6 10 salaries, rent, and telephone and other utility costs, related
  6 11 to providing abortions.
  6 12    The division requires DHS to submit a report to the governor
  6 13 and the general assembly annually by January 1 listing any
  6 14 entities that received program funds that are in the lowest
  6 15 position of priority described as nonpublic entities that
  6 16 provide family planning services but do not provide required
  6 17 primary health services as defined in federal law, as well as
  6 18 the amount and type of funds received by such entities during
  6 19 the preceding calendar year.  The report is also to include a
  6 20 detailed explanation of how DHS determined that distribution of
  6 21 program funds to such an entity was necessary to prevent severe
  6 22 limitation or elimination of access to family planning services
  6 23 in the region of the state where the entity is located.
  6 24    This division of the bill takes effect upon enactment.
  6 25    Division II of the bill relates to the distribution and use
  6 26 of certain federal funds for abortions. The division includes
  6 27 limitations on distribution to certain applicants of federal
  6 28 funds received by the state under Title X of the federal Public
  6 29 Health Services Act, the personal responsibility education
  6 30 program, the abstinence education grant program, and the
  6 31 community adolescent pregnancy prevention grant program.
  6 32    The division directs the department of health (DPH) to
  6 33 distribute all grant funding received through Title X of
  6 34 the federal Public Health Services Act on the basis of a
  6 35 prioritized schedule of applicants.  The division prohibits
  7  1 funding to be distributed to any entity that performs abortions
  7  2 or that maintains or operates a facility where abortions are
  7  3 performed.  The division also prohibits funds distributed to
  7  4 be used for direct or indirect costs related to providing
  7  5 abortions.  The division makes exceptions to the definition
  7  6 of "abortion" for the purpose of distribution of the funds.
  7  7 The division directs DPH to submit a report annually to the
  7  8 governor and the general assembly by January 1, identifying any
  7  9 entities lowest in the prioritization schedule that received
  7 10 public funds instead of an entity higher in the prioritization
  7 11 schedule during the preceding calendar year. The report
  7 12 shall include a detailed explanation of how DPH determined
  7 13 that distribution to such an entity was necessary to prevent
  7 14 limitations in access to family planning services in the region
  7 15 of the state where the entity is located.
  7 16    The division directs DPH, beginning with any contract
  7 17 entered into on or after July 1, 2017, to administer the
  7 18 state personal responsibility education program and the state
  7 19 abstinence education grant program to exclude as an eligible
  7 20 applicant any applicant entity that provides abortions,
  7 21 maintains or operates facilities where abortions are performed,
  7 22 or regularly makes referrals to an entity that provides
  7 23 abortions or maintains or operates a facility where abortions
  7 24 are performed.
  7 25    The division directs the department of human services,
  7 26 beginning with any contract entered into on or after July 1,
  7 27 2017, to exclude from the award of federal temporary assistance
  7 28 for needy families block grant funds appropriated to the
  7 29 department for the community adolescent pregnancy prevention
  7 30 and services program, any  applicant entity that provides
  7 31 abortions, maintains or operates a facility where abortions
  7 32 are performed, or regularly makes referrals to an entity that
  7 33 provides abortions or maintains or operates a facility where
  7 34 abortions are performed.
  7 35    Division III of the bill provides for a right of
  8  1 intervention.  The bill provides that a sponsor or cosponsors
  8  2 of the bill, as an agent or agents of the state, shall have
  8  3 standing to intervene on behalf of the general assembly as a
  8  4 party in any judicial or administrative proceeding challenging
  8  5 the provisions of the bill.
  8  6    Division IV of the bill provides for severability of any
  8  7 provision or application of the bill that is held invalid from
  8  8 the provisions or applications of the bill which can be given
  8  9 effect without the invalid provisions or application.
       LSB 1117YH (24) 87
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