California insurance commissioner race could affect taxpayer funding of abortions

Sacramento, Calif., Oct 30, 2010 / 17:04 pm

The California insurance commissioner race could be pivotal in the future of taxpayer funded abortion in the state. While one candidate is pro-life, Democratic candidate David Jones has publicly committed to promote full funding for abortions in all health insurance plans in the state.

He made his pledge for abortion funding in a May 5 speech at the 2010 Planned Parenthood Capitol Day, the California Catholic Daily reports.

Jones is presently an Assemblyman from Sacramento. On Oct. 8 he opposed three amendments to the 2010-11 California MediCal budget. He voted to table proposals which would have banned payments for partial-birth abortions, required parental consent for MediCal-funded abortions performed on minors, and required informed consent of the woman before a MediCal-funded abortion.

The candidate has a 100 percent rating on the Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) 2009 Scorecard. He has also earned Planned Parenthood’s Advocate for Access Award for promoting legislation favored by the organization, the largest abortion provider in the United States.

The Republican candidate for the position is Mike Villines of the Fresno area, who headed his party in the California Assembly from 2006 to 2009. He had a pro-life voting record during his three terms. He voted for all three of the MediCal abortion-funding regulation amendments and has a zero percent rating on the 2009 Planned Parenthood scorecard.

Mary Shallenberger, Planned Parenthood’s master of ceremonies for the 2010 Capitol Day, called Jones “somebody who lives the principles of Planned Parenthood.” In his remarks he cited his support for the FamilyPACT program, which provides taxpayer-funded birth control drugs and devices to Californians, including minor children without parental knowledge or consent, according to California Catholic Daily.

Jones said he would restore the office of Insurance Commissioner to being one that is “a consumer activist office and one that fights for women’s reproductive health.”

He also pledged to work with Planned Parenthood to ensure that abortion is covered in the implementation of the national health care bill in California.