The Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday sent a bill that would appropriate $2 million for the state’s grant program for pregnancy help organizations in the coming fiscal year that starts July 1 to its Special Language Subcommittee.
Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, said his Senate Bill 64 would increase the annual funding for the grant program from $1 million to $2 million and “I do have the governor’s support on this.”
The state initially provided $1 million in grants to 23 pregnancy help organizations in late 2022 through 2023, and later provided all but $27,037 of $1 million, to 27 pregnancy help organizations this year, Department of Finance and Administration spokesman Scott Hardin said afterward.
“We anticipate the remaining amount will be distributed equally to the 27 organizations,” he said.
Under SB64, the state’s chief fiscal officer would be required to transfer $2 million from the state’s general revenue allotment reserve fund to the Pregnancy Help Organization Grant Sub-Fund in the Miscellaneous Agencies Fund account to provide funding for the pregnancy help organization grants.