The group that represents more than 1,000 nonprofits says a bill that’s moving through the Arizona legislature that would fund the Arizona 211 information and referral system could have unintended consequences for other nonprofits in the future.
Currently, Senate Bill 1328 states that Arizona 211 cannot provide individuals with information about abortion or provide referrals for abortions. Kristen Merrifield is the CEO of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits. She says this bill boils down to exclusion.
"And our concern is that once we start making these decisions based on moral, political religious, it could be a variety of different reasons, that it sets a precedent to continue to do that with other groups in future," Merrifield said.
Like those nonprofits that serve the migrant or LGBTQ communities, she says. The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. The measure would appropriate $1.5 million to operate Arizona 211.
