House File 2370HOUSE FILE BY HEATON, WINDSCHITL, HORBACH, VAN ENGELENHOVEN, ROBERTS, MERTZ, BAUDLER, SWAIM, QUIRK, PETTENGILL, RAYHONS, ALONS, BOAL, SODERBERG, and LUKAN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the establishment of a positive alternatives 2 program and providing an appropriation. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5607HH 82 5 pf/nh/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM. The department 1 2 of human services shall establish a positive alternatives 1 3 program to provide core services consisting of information, 1 4 education, counseling, and support services to women who 1 5 experience unplanned pregnancies by promoting childbirth over 1 6 abortion, assisting pregnant women in remaining healthy and 1 7 maintaining a healthy pregnancy while deciding whether to keep 1 8 the child or place the child for adoption, and assisting the 1 9 woman after the birth of the child. The services provided may 1 10 include but are not limited to: counseling and mentoring; 1 11 pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and abstinence classes; 1 12 fostering of a statewide pregnancy and parenting support 1 13 system; assistance with physical and mental well=being of a 1 14 woman during pregnancy and post=delivery; assistance with the 1 15 physical well=being of the fetus and newborn; assistance with 1 16 food, shelter, clothing, health care, childcare, and 1 17 employment; and other supportive programs and services. The 1 18 department shall award grants to service providers that have 1 19 been in existence for at least one year prior to the awarding 1 20 of the grant and that are experienced and qualified in 1 21 providing core pregnancy support services that promote 1 22 childbirth over abortion and parenting support services, 1 23 including but not limited to pregnancy support organizations, 1 24 maternity homes, social service agencies, and adoption 1 25 agencies. 1 26 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the 1 27 fund created in section 8.41 to the department of human 1 28 services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, and 1 29 ending June 30, 2009, from moneys received under the federal 1 30 temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) block grant 1 31 pursuant to the federal Personal Responsibility and Work 1 32 Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104=193, 1 33 and successor legislation, which are federally appropriated 1 34 for the federal fiscal years beginning October 1, 2007, and 1 35 ending September 30, 2008, and beginning October 1, 2008, and 2 1 ending September 30, 2009, the following amount, or so much 2 2 thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purpose 2 3 designated: 2 4 For the positive alternatives program: 2 5 .................................................. $ 250,000 2 6 Positive alternatives grants shall be awarded to service 2 7 providers that have been in existence for at least one year 2 8 prior to the awarding of the grant and that are experienced 2 9 and qualified in providing core pregnancy support services 2 10 that promote childbirth over abortion or in providing 2 11 parenting support services, including but not limited to 2 12 pregnancy support organizations, maternity homes, social 2 13 service agencies, and adoption agencies. Priority in the 2 14 awarding of grants shall be given to programs that serve areas 2 15 of the state which demonstrate the highest percentage of 2 16 unplanned pregnancies of females of childbearing age within 2 17 the geographic area to be served by the grant. 2 18 EXPLANATION 2 19 This bill directs the department of human services (DHS) to 2 20 establish a positive alternatives program to provide core 2 21 services consisting of information, education, counseling, and 2 22 support services to women who experience unplanned pregnancies 2 23 by promoting childbirth over abortion, assisting pregnant 2 24 women in remaining healthy and maintaining a healthy pregnancy 2 25 while deciding whether to keep a child or place the child for 2 26 adoption, and assisting the woman after the birth of the 2 27 child. The bill directs DHS to award grants to service 2 28 providers that have been in existence for at least one year 2 29 prior to the awarding of the grant that are experienced and 2 30 qualified in providing core pregnancy support services that 2 31 promote childbirth over abortion or in providing parenting 2 32 support services, including but not limited to pregnancy 2 33 support organizations, maternity homes, social service 2 34 agencies, and adoption agencies. The bill appropriates 2 35 $250,000 to DHS from the temporary assistance for needy 3 1 families block grant for the program. 3 2 LSB 5607HH 82 3 3 pf/nh/14