A bill introduced into the state House of Representatives seeks to bar state employees from having abortions covered under their insurance plans or receiving any treatment from facilities that provide abortions.

House Bill 1002 also seeks to stop the state from contracting with any agency that provides or is remotely connected with providing abortions.

The bill would make exceptions only for abortions deemed “medically necessary. “This term would mean, under the bill, an abortion necessary and determined by the patient’s primary care physician to protect the woman from “imminent danger of a serious physical disorder, illness or injury.”

The sponsor of the bill is Rep. David Taylor, R-Moxee. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said if approved, the bill wouldn’t restrict state employees from having abortions but state employee insurance would no longer pay for an abortion if the patient has no medical need.

“It’s a different issue than access. People are saying this bill restricts access but that’s not true,” Walsh said. “It leaves wide discretion for doctors to decide how to take care of their patients. The bill doesn’t insert government into doctor-patient relationship —that’s sacrosanct.”

It would also bar the state from providing contracts, grants or funding to any organizations that provide abortions not defined as “medically necessary.” The wording is broadly defined to include organizations that not only directly provide abortion services, but any that are indirectly affiliated with said organizations.

This would mean public employees could not use their insurance to receive any health care from any organization that provides abortions. Further, it would seek to request that the federal government rewrite their coverage to follow similar guidelines.

“We all know this is a controversial subject. Passions run strongly,” Walsh said.

Based on conversations he’s had with people in his district, more people are upset about government money being used to pay for elective abortions and to the organizations providing them than are not, he noted.

And, Walsh said, “Some people mind it a lot.”

He emphasized that he was willing to talk to constituents about the bill whether they are for or against it.

The bill is currently in the Health Care and Wellness subcommittee.

A related bill, titled HB 1003, would require that the parents of minors seeking an abortion must have their parents or guardians notified of the procedure, or obtain a court order to allow the procedure to proceed without parental consent. The primary sponsor of this bill is Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley. Walsh is also among this bill’s co-sponsors.

Terri Harber of The Daily World contributed information for this story