AB 348

Under current law, state and federal funds (women's health funds) are

appropriated to the Department of Health Services (DHS) to provide the following

services: counseling by trained personnel regarding family planning; distribution of

information relating to family planning; and referral to licensed nurse practitioners

within the scope of their practice, licensed physicians, or local health departments

for consultation, examination, medical treatment, and prescriptions for the purpose

of family planning. Under current law, DHS may only distribute women's health

funds to public entities. Current law further provides that a public entity that

receives women's health funds may provide the funds to other entities but only if the

recipient does not provide abortion services, make referral for abortion services, or

have an affiliate that provides abortion services or makes referrals for abortion

services. The state portion of this funding is referred to as the women's health block

grant.

This bill eliminates the restriction that DHS may only distribute funds

appropriated for family planning services to public entities and eliminates the

restriction that a recipient of these funds may only provide the funds to entities that

meet specific criteria. This bill also eliminates the term "women's health block

grant." Finally, this bill increases the funding for family planning services during

the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium.