NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A bill that would require Metro Nashville to cover the cost of certain birth control was deferred on Tuesday.
Sponsors of the bill want to meet with the administration, city attorney and finance department one more time to see what this endeavor would cost.
On the table, a proposal that would not only cover products such as birth control pills, birth control patches, birth control rings, birth control injections and birth control prophylactics, but would also cover family planning and birth control counseling.
As of right now, the Metro Department of Health offers these services, but charges based on the patient's income.
"This is something that I'm putting forward to make sure that if the country doesn't want there to be abortions, if the state doesn't want there to be abortions than the best way to prevent that is to prevent being pregnant in the first place," said Council Member Emily Benedict, a co-sponsor of the bill.
According to the text, the ordinance would take effect immediately following its passage.
Originally, it was estimated that this would cost about $2.5 million more per year than currently budgeted, if it were provided to all residents of Davidson County.
