RALEIGH -- After hearing intense legal and moral arguments on both sides, the Wake County Board of Commissioners today agreed to reinstate county employees' insurance coverage for elective abortions.
With Democrats outvoting Republicans 4-3, members reversed an action last month by county manager David Cooke last, who removed the coverage from the countys self-insured plan based on language in a 1981 Supreme Court case.
During an extended public comment period, board members heard arguments for reinstating the coverage from Planned Parenthood and the ACLU as well as impassioned pleas in opposition from people opposed to county funding of elective abortions.
Please do not use my familys money to destroy what God created, said Raleigh resident Diana Starling.
Sarah Preston, legislative director of the state ACLU office, argued for reinstating the coverage.
Its a very difficult decision, Preston said. Placing additional burdens on a woman already in a difficult situation will not help anyone.
Discussion of the issue was heightened by controversy about board member Stan Norwalks recent remarks that abortions were less costly for the county paying for children brought to full term. Norwalk said his statement was made in the context of the discussion preceding a similar ban in Apex.
The basis of my position is that I dont think that government should be telling women what to do with their bodies, Norwalk said.
Apex mayor Keith Weatherly said in an editorial last month that city employees were free to follow their consciences when confronted with an unwanted pregnancy.
Our action is solely about the appropriate use of public money, Weatherly said.
At todays meeting, Republican board members argued that the panel should not contravene the advice of county manager David Cooke and county attorney Scott Warren. Democrats cited opinions from the UNC School of Government and the ACLU before their votes.
Members first defeated a motion from Commissioner Joe Bryan that would have brought county coverage in line with federal employees health insurance, which covers abortions only in the cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother would be endangered.
It seems like we are being swallowed up in a national tide, board chair Tony Gurley said, reflecting the Congressional debate over whether national health care reform should include coverage of elective abortions.
Board member Harold Webb, sidelined since last year by a stroke, voted with his Democratic colleagues via telephone in reinstating employees coverage.
