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COLUMBUS — Last week Ohio lawmakers passed a two-year state budget defunding twenty-six Planned Parenthood locations throughout the state and redirecting those taxpayer dollars to support crisis pregnancy centers. This profound change regarding state spending by the Governor and Legislature has some key evangelical leaders singing their praise.
According to Reverend Gary Click, Pastor of Fremont Baptist Temple and Chairman of the Governor’s Evangelical Advisory Council, “A culture of life has revived in Columbus under the administration of Governor Mike DeWine and Jon Husted. I am proud that our Governor does more than give lip service to these issues.”
(Map by Alliance Defending Freedom & Charlotte Lozier Institute)
A provision in the approved budget gives $7.5 million to crisis pregnancy centers which steer women away from the option of abortion. Just last year, Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the nation, received $600,000 in state taxpayer dollars.
The redirection of public monies was enabled by a sweeping court decision declaring the state has the right to decide the parameters for who gets public funding.
Reverend Jerry O’Brien a member of the Governor’s Evangelical Advisory Council and former board member of the Wayne County Pregnancy Center believes the taxpayer dollars are being appropriated well.
“There are a large number of these crisis pregnancy resource centers across the state that provide a number of valuable services like free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, prenatal vitamins, maternity, baby clothes, and counseling. It really is a great thing that the General Assembly acknowledges the work of these valuable family centers,” says the Pastor O’Brien of Faith Harvest Fellowship in Wooster.
There is little dispute that Ohio is taking the lead when it comes to the sanctity of life. Ohio is unlike most states that prohibit abortion, offering no exceptions in circumstances of rape or incest.
“Every Sunday morning at church I see one of my members who was conceived in rape. As a beautiful mother and now grandmother, how can I say she has less dignity due to the circumstances of her conception? Our legislators are bold to declare that we do not have the right to determine the value of one life over another. The Ohio General Assembly is wise to recognize that people should not play GOD.”
REverend Gary Click
Chairman of Governor’s Evangelical Advisory Council
“Every Sunday morning at church I see one of my members who was conceived in rape,” says Pastor Click. “As a beautiful mother and now grandmother, how can I say she has less dignity due to the circumstances of her conception? Our legislators are bold to declare that we do not have the right to determine the value of one life over another. The Ohio General Assembly is wise to recognize that people should not play GOD.”
On April 9th, the advisory council awarded Governor DeWine the Champion of Life award just two days prior to the signing of the Heartbeat Bill into law.
“I want to thank House Speaker Larry Householder and Senate President Larry Obhof for leading the way on passing a budget and the Heartbeat Bill with such strong pro-family and pro-life provisions. Ohio has been blessed by their strong leadership,” comments Reverend O’Brien.
The embattled abortion industry has had several abortion centers in Ohio guilty of serious infractions including: expired drugs, improper storage of aborted baby body parts, and incomplete medical records. One Cleveland abortion center has had at least ten botched abortions involving medical emergencies since 2011.
Click on the five-minute video below produced by Prager University on what Live Action Founder Lila Rose says you need to know about Planned Parenthood.
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