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Tax Break for Certain Pregnancy Resource Centers

INTRO: Clinics offering alternatives to abortion are noe eligible for tax incentives under a bill passed by the House. In Jefferson City Hayley Salvo has the details.

Republican Representative Allen Icet's bill allows contributions up to 50,000 dollars per year to pregnancy resource centers that can later be claimed for a tax break.

Centers eligible for the incentive offer a variety of services to expectant mothers from counseling to medical treatment. Opponents of the bill say the centers fail to provide all medical options, such as abortion.

But Icet doesn't see his bill as part of the abortion issue.

"No one is under any direst to go to a pregnancy resource center, it's something that women would do on their own volition. And if they don't like what's there they simply turn around and walk out."

The bill now heads to the Senate. From the state Capitol, I'm Hayley Salvo.

Intro: Clinics that offer alternatives to abortion are now eligible for tax incentives under a bill passed by the Missouri House. From the state Capitol, Hayley Salvo has more.

The bill allows contributions up to 50,000 dollars to qualifying pregnancy resource centers. Centers eligible to recieve donations offer a range of services from counseling to medical treatment. Centers that provide informaiton on abortions, such as Planned Parenthood, are not eligible for the tax break.

Democratic Representative Beth Low says the issue is denying expectant mothers all medically factual information.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Allen Icet doesn't see it as an abortion issue and says people have the choice whether or not to donate to or use these pregnancy centers.

In Jefferson City, I'm Hayley Salvo.