LINCOLN, NEBRASKA—Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen this week signed a bill that diverts as much as $500,000 in taxpayer money next year to fund anti-abortion clinics—fake women’s health centers that use false and deceptive practices to dissuade people from having abortions—through the use of tax credits. The funding cap increases to $1 million in subsequent years under the legislation.
Anti-abortion centers do not provide actual medical care and lack any meaningful state or federal medical oversight. Because they are not legitimate medical providers, they are not bound by data privacy laws like HIPAA. Instead, they use false and misleading tactics to lure pregnant people through their doors. They present themselves as actual health care professionals, putting vulnerable people’s health in danger. Their only goal is to prevent people from having abortions.
“Politicians are selling anti-abortion centers as a solution to the state’s lack of medical care for pregnant people, even though they endanger the lives of every person who walks through their door,” said Andi Curry Grubb, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska. “Instead of proposing solutions to improve health outcomes for Nebraskans, legislators and the governor continue to prioritize unpopular, reckless policies that go against the will of Nebraskans. Planned Parenthood remains dedicated to providing Nebraskans with the expert health care they so desperately need and will continue to fight to preserve and expand that care.”
The program will be administered by the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The legislation fails to outline minimum standards or provide adequate oversight. It also doesn’t require anti-abortion centers provide medically accurate information. The measure does nothing to protect patient privacy.
Nebraska is now a part of a rapidly growing list of states that want to use taxpayer dollars—whether through direct funding or tax credits—to prop up anti-abortion centers since the fall of Roe in 2022. In 2023 alone, anti-choice led majority legislatures in 12 states passed $250 million in funding for anti-abortion centers, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the advocacy and electoral arm of PPNCS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.
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