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I’ve been reading about the proposal in Olympia, Senate Bill 6182, called the “Abortion Savings Program,” and the more I think about it, the more questions it raises.
Not just about abortion.
But about the priorities.
This proposal would create a new funding stream to help pay for abortion services in Washington. The money comes from a new tax on health insurance carriers based on the number of people enrolled in their plans.
Which means if you have health insurance in Washington, you're part of the formula that funds it. That cost will be a part of your premiums from here on out.
The major issue: there's no opt-out.
I am pro-life.
I believe every child is a gift from God. Being forced to help fund something you believe ends an innocent life is a serious violation of conscience.
But what is interesting is the timing.
Lawmakers are proposing a brand-new account to fund abortion, they are also cutting programs that help kids.
Programs families rely on.
Programs that are working.
Take Running Start. It has been one of the most successful education programs in our state. It allows high school students to take college classes and earn real credits — sometimes even an associate degree — before they graduate.
Families love it because it saves money. Students love it because it opens doors.
Yet the proposal this year would reduce the Running Start enrollment cap from 1.4 full-time equivalent to 1.2. That might sound like a small adjustment in Olympia, but in the real world, it could mean students lose about 10 college credits per year.
For some kids, that means they won't finish with a degree while still in high school.
For others, it means paying more tuition later, often ending with them accruing debt to go to college.
Why cut a program that is clearly working?
And Running Start isn't the only thing being targeted.
Here are other youth items that are being targeted:
• 6% reductions to statewide K-12 support programs that fund tutoring, college readiness and student support services.
• Eliminating 1,816 transitional kindergarten slots that help young kids get ready for school.
• A 50% cut to professional development for child-care providers, which directly affects early learning quality.
• A 31% reduction in school-to-work transition programs that help students with disabilities move into the workforce.
• And proposals eliminating contracts for 36 youth service network providers in Eastern Washington that help coordinate family and youth support services.
The Democrats in Olympia say, “We have a budget shortfall. Tough choices must be made.”
But guess what — there's still room in the budget to create a brand-new program to help fund abortion.
Think about the message this sends.
If a mother wants help bringing her child into the world, the state says we have budget problems.
But if a mother wants help ending that child's life, suddenly there's a funding mechanism.
Democrats in Washington state are building a funding stream to end a child's life — but not one to help bring that child into the world.
That's hard to wrap my mind around. It’s sad and heartbreaking.
Even for people who support abortion rights, there should be concern about forcing others to pay for it.
For decades, our laws have protected conscience. Doctors can decline to perform abortions. Medical providers can refuse to participate. Religious institutions are often given accommodations when laws conflict with their beliefs.
But under this proposal, ordinary citizens get no such protection.
If you have health insurance, you're in.
No opt-out. No accommodation. No respect for conscience.
If Democrats truly respected the diversity of beliefs in our state, the fix would be simple: add a conscience opt-out.
Allow people who object to abortion for religious or moral reasons to decline participation in the funding mechanism tied to their insurance enrollment.
That wouldn't stop abortion access. It wouldn't dismantle the program. It would simply acknowledge that people of faith shouldn't be forced to violate their conscience.
People believe different things about life, faith, and morality. Public policy should at least try to leave room for those differences.
Instead, this proposal tells citizens: you're paying for it whether you believe in it or not.
And at the same time, Democrats are cutting programs that help kids live, thrive and succeed. Yes, just the Democrats, go look at the voting records.
If we're going to talk about priorities, maybe we should start here, and truly protect the most vulnerable — children!
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Sean Swope is a Republican Lewis County commissioner for District 1, representing Centralia and surrounding areas.
