Florida governor vetoes crisis pregnancy center funding cut

Tallahassee, Fla., Jan 30, 2009 / 04:00 am

Governor of Florida Charlie Crist has vetoed a half-million dollar cut in funding to crisis pregnancy centers in the state.

The Florida Legislature, meeting during a Special Legislative Session, passed a series of budget cuts to address a $2.3 billion shortfall, the Florida Family Policy Council reports. One funding cut passed by the legislature removed $574,728 from the $2 million allocated to the Florida Pregnancy Support Services Program.

The program is administered by the Florida Pregnancy Care Network which maintains a network of 50 crisis pregnancy centers that provide counseling and information to pregnant women to promote and encourage childbirth.

Then-Gov. Jeb Bush launched the initiative in 2005. It aims to provide the same level of information and services to women who desire to give birth that is provided to women who decide to abort their children.

The Florida Family Policy Council said the budget cut would have “severely limited” services and information available for lower income women in crisis pregnancies.

“This would have prevented women from receiving critical education in prenatal care, childbirth, parenting and adoption resources,” the Florida Family Policy Council said in a statement.

“We pray that the 2009 funding for next will also be renewed.”