Tennessee Gov. Lee proposes $100 million for anti-abortion centers

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee brushed aside calls to streamline one of the toughest abortion bans in the United States and on Monday unveiled plans to funnel tens of millions of taxpayers’ dollars to anti-abortion centers, he said The state has a “moral obligation” to support families.

Lee, a Republican, said he wants to create a $100 million grant program for nonprofits commonly known as “crisis pregnancy centers.” If approved, Tennessee would become one of the top-spending states for organizations known to discourage abortion.

But now that Roe v. Wade was overturned, many Republicans have gone defensive on their abortion bans, including by offering to expand government programs for women and families. For example, Lee focuses on pregnant mothers and parents on Medicaid and government employees who have newborns.

The crisis pregnancy centers Lee relies on have since shifted to offering prenatal, prenatal and postnatal classes.

The governor made the announcement during his annual state of the state address to the Republican-dominated legislature. The speech outlined his top priorities for the coming months, which ranged from spending an additional $125 million on teacher pay rises to improving the state’s transportation system and efforts to eliminate toxic waste at industrial sites.

Still, Lee spent a lot of time explaining how and why he would support families after the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion. Lee has strongly opposed including exceptions to Tennessee’s abortion ban. But the issue has divided even senior Republicans, with House Speaker Cameron Sexton saying the law needs to be changed.

“Pro-life is much more than defending the lives of the unborn,” Lee said as protesters shouted about health care above him in the gallery. “It’s not a question of politics. This is about human dignity.”

Amid the shouts, Lee quipped “politeness is not weakness” in reference to his inaugural address two weeks earlier, in which he criticized those “who thrive on toxic rudeness and division.” The line drew the loudest standing ovation from Republican lawmakers, cabinet members and other leaders in the Tennessee House chamber.

“We can have a healthy debate about the political specifics, but we can also agree that America is rooted in a commitment to human dignity,” Lee later said. “Last year there was a significant shift in this country when it comes to protecting the life of the unborn. We all now have an opportunity and a moral obligation to support strong families in Tennessee.”

Lee’s comments sparked anger from Democratic lawmakers, who argued the governor was ignoring concerns from women who are no longer able to access abortion services in Tennessee.

“It’s embarrassing that during the state of the state, Gov. Bill Lee made a wisecracking (aleck) comment aimed at women who were upset that they are no longer seen as equals in this state,” the Democratic said MP Gloria Johnson in a tweet. “Deviations are not rudeness.”

In addition to creating a $100 million grant fund for crisis pregnancy centers, Lee also proposed expanding paid parental leave for state employees and expanding Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women and parents. His administration also plans to ask the federal government to cover the cost of diapers for Medicaid recipients for two years.

“If approved, Tennessee will be the first Medicaid program in the country to implement this type of support. This is pro life. It’s family-friendly,” Lee said.

The governor’s speech did not provide specific details about the proposed paid parental leave for state employees. Lee initially proposed a similar proposal in 2020, but eventually scrapped the idea after facing skepticism from Republican leaders as the coronavirus outbreak began to hit the state.

This year, Lee’s second proposal to expand paid family leave was met with some enthusiasm, but his $100 million proposal for crisis pregnancy centers received much more plaudits.

In 2021, the Tennessee legislature allocated money for several ultrasound machines to be placed in pregnancy centers. One center’s website includes a disclaimer stating that any information provided is “an educational service and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional and/or medical advice”.

A tally by the Associated Press based on state budget numbers shows that nearly $89 million was allocated to such centers in about a dozen states in fiscal 2021-2022. A decade ago, annual funding for programs in about eight states was about $17 million.

Lee is also on the advisory board of the Hope Clinic for Women, a crisis pregnancy center in Tennessee.

Kimberlee Kruesi and Jonathan Mattise, The Associated Press

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