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Ga. Senate passes abortion bill for state employees

With just two legislative days left this session, the state Senate passes the first abortion bill of the session.

Senators amended another bill, dealing with health coverage for employees of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, to prevent abortions from being covered under the state employee health plan.

Exceptions would be made to save the mother’s life.

Mike Griffin, vice president of Georgia Right to Life, says in 2011 there were 366 abortions covered under the state health benefit plan at a cost of nearly $213,000.

“This legislation doesn’t say that it’s not possible for them to have abortion coverage, they just have to pay for it themselves,” he says. “It can’t be subsidized by taxpayer funds.”

But Cathy Woolard, who lobbies for Planned Parenthood, complains the measure wasn’t given a hearing in committee and will affect 250,000 state employees and their families.

“There are many cases where women have complications in their pregnancies that require an abortion that’s quite expensive,” she tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.

The bill now goes back to the House to either agree or disagree with the changes.

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