Senate approves private donations to defend state abortion laws

A proposal to allow private contributions to a state fund dedicated to fighting legal challenges to the state's abortion laws was given preliminary approval by the Senate on Thursday.

HB114, sponsored by Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork, permits direct deposits by private citizens and groups into the state Abortion Litigation Trust Account. Currently, any contributions to the fund must be routed through the state Division of Finance.

The account was established in the early 1990s to cover the costs of defending state laws that restrict the practice of abortion or challenge the legal concept that a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion.

The original bill was amended to take out language authorizing the state Legislature to also make contributions to the fund.

The bill's Senate sponsor, Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, told lawmakers the measure would "allow those who have common cause with pro-life sentiments to put their resources into an account to defend those views."

Madsen said the bill "gives a little bit of parity" to the pro-life movement, pointing out that groups with opposing views have many different advocacy groups and foundations to which they can contribute.