Washington § 74.09.657 - Findings — Family planning services expansion.

The legislature finds that:

(1) Over half of all births in Washington state are covered by public programs;

(2) Research has demonstrated that children of unintended pregnancies receive less prenatal care and are at higher risk for premature birth, low birth weight, neurological disorders, and poor academic performance;

(3) In Washington state, over 50 percent of unintended pregnancies occur in women age 25 years and older;

(4) Washington state's take charge program has been successful in helping women avoid unintended pregnancies; however, when the caseload declined due to federally mandated changes, the rate of unintended pregnancies increased dramatically;

(5) Expanding family planning services to cover women to 260 percent of the federal poverty level would align that program's eligibility standard with income eligibility for publicly funded maternity care service; and

(6) Such an expansion would reduce unintended pregnancies and associated costs to the state.

Funding reduction—2011 1st sp.s. c 41: "Upon implementation of the expansion directed in RCW 74.09.659, the office of financial management shall reduce general fund—state allotments for the medical assistance program by one million five hundred thousand dollars for fiscal year 2012 and by two million three hundred fifty thousand dollars for fiscal year 2013. The amounts reduced from allotments shall be placed in reserve status and remain unexpended." [ 2011 1st sp.s. c 41 s 3.]