Oklahoma's Choosing Childbirth (CCB) program offers state-funded grants to organizations helping and encouraging women to carry pregnancies to term instead of aborting them.
While total appropriations are subject to availability in the state budget each year, the money has been reserved for Oklahoma-based nonprofits providing free services within the state since the program's inception in 2017.
Now, Bartlesville Republican Julie Daniels' Senate Bill 1503 would open those grants to entities not based in Oklahoma, so long as they provide virtual services within the grant requirements.
Daniels presented the measure to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Monday. She said the tweaks to CCB grant eligibility are meant to include a specific service provider named Human Coalition.
"Human Coalition is an entirely digital service provider to women seeking abortion, either medical abortion or surgical abortion," Daniels said. "And because of the way our statutes are written, even though they are registered with the secretary of state in Oklahoma, they don't have a brick and mortar presence in Oklahoma because they operate digitally."
Based in Texas, Human Coalition offers a mix of virtual and brick-and-mortar services in seven other states. According to its website, the organization's vision statement is "to make abortion unthinkable and unnecessary."
There were some questions from committee members about service providers' ability to prove they're using Oklahomans' tax dollars for Oklahomans and not people somewhere else.
Among those concerned were the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, and committee member Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City.
"So, this is something I support," Rosino said. "I just want to make sure and understand that although they operate out of Texas, that the dollars the Oklahoma taxpayers have put into this program, that the programs stay for the women of Oklahoma and not for the other states that you talked about, that they operate in."
Hicks reiterated Rosino's concern, but broadened the discussion beyond just Human Coalition.
"So, I know that we're speaking about one specific entity," Hicks said. "But by removing this language that previously…was throughout the bill, about being located in the state, I mean, how are we going to ensure that other organizations that might apply for these grants are truly using those funds to support women in Oklahoma?"
Daniels said any out-of-state organizations receiving grant money would need to be registered as a nonprofit with the Oklahoma Secretary of State's office, and then it would come down to their request for proposals, or RFP's, as to whether they actually qualify for the grant.
As for proving the money is being used for people in Oklahoma, Human Coalition tracks relevant information about its clients as proof.
"They do this via zip code and sometimes via address," Daniels said. "So they have a way to determine and to share documentation that shows they are serving women in the state of Oklahoma. So we know that there is a method by which they can provide that information."
The measure passed through committee earlier this week with a 10-2 vote and can now be heard on the full Senate floor. Sens. Hicks and Nikki Nice from Oklahoma City were the only no votes.
