These Bills Will Be Large Battlegrounds in State Legislative Session

Everyone is talking about the budget, transportation, and Gov. Inslee's environmental proposals as the state legislature starts it's 2015 session this week.   But there are some returning issues that will be very big this year.

One of the most hotly debated issues coming back is the Abortion Insurance Mandate.  Senate Bill 5026 has already been introduced, it would require every private insurance company to offer abortion coverage.  Currently. among their many plans,  every insurance company that does business in Washington state already offers at least one plan with abortion coverage.  This bill would expand that coverage to every single policy offered in our state.

Currently, citizens and companies can elect to choose a plan with abortion coverage or not.   Many people and businesses chose non-abortion coverage plans for religious reasons.   If this bill becomes law,  you won't be able to buy a plan that doesn't offer abortion coverage even if you don't want it.

Similar bills have passed the House the past three years, but have been defeated in the Senate.

Forcing Religious Hospitals to Perform Abortions.   While no official bills have been yet introduced yet on this matter,  there's significant talk in Olympia that there will be before the legislative session is over. According to the Family Policy Institute of Washington legislative report from January 12:

"The abortion industry is increasingly concerned with the fact that Catholic hospitals are merging with public hospitals because Catholic hospitals are unwilling to perform abortions. Groups supportive of the abortion industry held a number of community events around the state over the summer and circulated a petition in support of legislation that would require religious hospitals to perform abortions in violation of their beliefs."

Most legislative observers and experts fully expect a bill to be introduced that would force these religious hospitals to perform these abortions.

While the daily headlines are mostly focused on Gov. Inslee's environmental proposals, possible gas tax hikes and the budget,  these are two key issues that will generate much attention inside the House and Senate in Olympia.