If enacted, HB 4268 will authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to solicit applications from eligible nonprofit organizations that assist individuals in accessing abortion services. With an allocated budget of $350 million for the fiscal years 2024 to 2028, the grants can be used for a broad range of support activities that facilitate access to abortion. This includes not only travel costs but also childcare and information services, thereby addressing the logistical and financial burdens that may prevent individuals from obtaining the care they need.
Summary
House Bill 4268, known as the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2023, is designed to authorize grants that cover travel-related expenses and logistical support for individuals seeking abortion services. The bill recognizes the barriers to abortion access that have intensified following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which significantly curtailed the constitutional protections for abortion. This legislation aims to alleviate challenges faced by individuals in states with restrictive abortion laws by providing financial assistance for transportation, lodging, meals, and other related costs.
Contention
The bill may face opposition on various grounds, particularly from those who believe that it undercuts state laws regarding abortions and infringes on local governance. While supporters argue that the bill is crucial for ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, detractors may see it as a governmental overreach that conflicts with the ethos of local and state rights. Additionally, debates around the prioritization of funding might emerge, as the bill specifies that priority should be given to entities operating in jurisdictions with severe restrictions on abortion access.
Considerations
Furthermore, the legislation includes provisions that preempt any state or local laws prohibiting the use of federal funds for the purposes outlined in the bill. This could create legal challenges and lead to contentious discussions regarding the role of the federal government in state matters, especially in the context of contentious social issues such as abortion. The ongoing discourse surrounding reproductive rights in the United States makes this bill a focal point in the broader legislative landscape.
Women's Health Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services. Before fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from using particular abortion procedures or drugs, offering abortion services via telemedicine, or immediately providing abortion services if delaying risks the patient's health. Furthermore, governments may not require providers to perform unnecessary medical procedures, provide medically inaccurate information, or comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services to abortions. Additionally, governments may not require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining services. After fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from performing abortions when necessary to protect a patient's life and health. The same provisions that apply to abortions before viability also apply to necessary abortions after viability. Additionally, states may authorize post-viability abortions in circumstances beyond those that the bill considers necessary. Further, the bill recognizes an individual's right to interstate travel, including for abortion services. The bill also prohibits governments from implementing measures that are similar to those restricted by the bill or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may sue states or government officials to enforce this bill, regardless of certain immunity that would otherwise apply.
Restoring Faith in Elections Act This bill establishes certain standards for voting, including voting by mail, in federal elections. It also establishes certain requirements for voter registration and maintenance of official lists of eligible voters. First, the bill establishes certain requirements for voting by mail in federal elections, including by requiring mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close on election day. Additionally, the bill makes it unlawful to possess or return a mail-in ballot completed by another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting), with exceptions. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both. Further, the bill establishes certain requirements for reporting results of federal elections, including by requiring states to count all eligible ballots within 24 hours after the election. Next, the bill provides for the automatic registration of eligible voters. The Election Assistance Commission must make grants to states to implement these automatic voter registration programs. It also requires states and jurisdictions to use standards that apply equally to all methods of voting used in federal elections, including standards related to signature verification. Finally, the bill establishes the National Deconfliction Voting Database and Clearinghouse to serve as a database and clearinghouse for voter registration records and lists of eligible voters. Additionally, each state must certify that it has removed ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters prior to the federal election.