When A158B came to the floor of the Assembly for debate and a vote, Assemblyman Tony Seminerio (D – Queens) introduced an amendment that would remove Medicaid funding for abortion, related care, supplies, and services except where they are determined to be medically necessary to preserve the life of the mother, or the pregnancy is due to rape.

When an amendment is introduced to a bill before the house, the debate is switched to the amendment, and a vote is taken on the amendment. If the amendment passes, it automatically becomes a part of the bill before the house. If Assemblyman Seminerio’s amendment passed, it would stop abortion funding with taxpayer dollars.

In the Assembly there are 109 Democrats to 41 Republicans. The amendment to defund abortions was defeated by a vote of 44 to 103. The amendment needed 76 votes to pass. The 103 votes against the amendment included 9 Republicans; the 44 votes for the amendment included 12 Democrats. These votes reflect a cross-over from both parties on this issue.

Of the 109 Assembly Democrats, 94 voted against the Amendment to stop abortion funding; three Democrats were absent for the vote. One can see from this vote why people generally say that Democrats support abortion and Republicans are pro life. There are certainly exceptions in both political parties, however.

The New York State Senate did not attempt to remove the abortion funding from the State Budget. In the past, Republicans controlled the State Senate, and they would frequently pass a bill to stop the funding, but the defunding was never accomplished, because the Assembly would never agree to the amendment. However, 2009 marks the second consecutive year that Senate Republicans did not even attempt to pass a bill or an amendment to stop abortion funding.

(Endnotes)

1 http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/vital_statistics/2007/index.htm (see table 24)