Tie-breaking vote expected today in Planned Parenthood v. Christ Community health care funding

The issue of abortion has the Shelby County, Tennessee, Commission in a 5-5 voting deadlock that might be broken today.

The Commission is faced with awarding a $400,000 contract to either Planned Parenthood or Christ Community for family planning services for the poor.  Opponents say that while Planned Parenthood does not directly receive funding for abortions, it does so indirectly.  Critics of the non-profit Christ Community say that the religious group will not make referrals for abortion or provide emergency contraceptives.

So far, the vote has been delayed twice.

The Shelby County Health Department had awarded the contract to Christ Community through an evaluation process.  If Christ Community is awarded the contract, it is required to provide emergency contraceptives if women request them.  However, when asked by reporters whether it will actually do so, Bruce Waller, Director of Christ Community would not give a direct answer.  "We would provide her with … Well, I think Shantelle [Leatherwood] who wrote our proposal is really the person to ask."

According to the Christ Community Health Services website, the organization's goal "… is to go where the need is greatest to provide quality services in the name of Jesus Christ."

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D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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