Bloomington City Council approves $100,000 for ‘Reproductive Health Care Grant Program’

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Bloomington City Council approved a new ordinance to transfer $100,000 from the general fund to the new ‘Reproductive Health Care Grant Program’ to help address the statewide abortion ban. It was a relatively quick discussion from the nine-member council before a unanimous vote.

Sue Sgambelluri, the Bloomington Council Vice President and District II Representative, said, “Certainly abortion is a polarizing issue and people feel very strongly about it but the context I am thinking about this is of reproductive healthcare and reproductive justice on a broad level and so with that, I will be supporting this ordinance.”

Five people participated in the public comment, two were in support of the ordinance and three were against it.

Jessica Marchbank is with All Options and supports both the Hoosier Abortion Fund and the Hoosier Diaper Program. She said, “What we are seeing is a crisis of both reproductive access need and access care and of diaper need. And we will certainly be in support of this but we urge people to think about not only the immediate need of helping people access abortion care but what will happen six months from now.

Jason Chen, the Pastor at Chinese Reformed Church Bloomington in Bloomington, said, “The life of every man, woman and child is from God and it is a sacred gift. You and I do not have the right to decide who gets to live and who does not. No matter how inconvenient or how painful that person’s existence may be. Even if you’re not sure when life begins that’s even more reason to defend the unborn.”

The city’s legal counsel explains this funding came from the general fund and was not taken away from any other group.

Beth Cate, corporation counsel for the city, said, “The funding that is provided for this program is provided for lawful use. And so we intend for the grantees to use the funds in ways that are lawful under state, federal and local law.”