Judge blocks state law defunding Planned Parenthood in Ohio
A federal judge today temporarily blocked state officials from cutting off Planned Parenthood from more than $1.3 million in funding.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael Barrett of Cincinnati barred Ohio Department of Health Director Richard Hodges from enforcing a defunding law approved by Republican lawmakers and signed by GOP Gov. John Kasich that was to have taken effect today.
Ruling that Planned Parenthood has demonstrated a "likelihood of success" in winning its legal action, Barrett granted a temporary restraining order through June 6.
"There is also no doubt that the Ohio legislature enacted (the law) for the purpose of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking to obtain an abortion," Barrett wrote in his order.
Funding cut from Planned Parenthood was to be redirected to other health clinics in Ohio. Supporters say it would help provide broader health care coverage across the state, but opponents argued that many of those clinics do not have the services or capacity to do what Planned Parenthood does.
The funding is not a large percentage of total money Planned Parenthood uses to operate 28 clinics in Ohio, but organization officials say the money is used for educational programs that will be impacted. Those include a Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program, HIV counseling and testing, and sex education.
In alleging constitutional violations in its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood said the law would place an "undue burden" on a woman's right to a legal abortion because the loss in funding for other programs could force clinics to close, particularly in Cincinnati.
State funds are forbidden from being used toward abortions. Planned Parenthood performed about 30 percent (6,237) of the 21,186 abortions performed in Ohio in 2014 - and 36 percent in Franklin County.
Ohio Right to Life officials had said the bill has been at the top of their legislative agenda for years, and they praised lawmakers for ensuring taxpayer dollars are "shielded from the abortion industry." Planned Parenthood still receives Medicaid reimbursements.
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U.S. District Court Judge Michael Barrett of Cincinnati barred Ohio Department of Health Director Richard Hodges from enforcing a defunding law approved by Republican lawmakers and signed by GOP Gov. John Kasich that was to have taken effect today.
Ruling that Planned Parenthood has demonstrated a "likelihood of success" in winning its legal action, Barrett granted a temporary restraining order through June 6.
"There is also no doubt that the Ohio legislature enacted (the law) for the purpose of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking to obtain an abortion," Barrett wrote in his order.
Funding cut from Planned Parenthood was to be redirected to other health clinics in Ohio. Supporters say it would help provide broader health care coverage across the state, but opponents argued that many of those clinics do not have the services or capacity to do what Planned Parenthood does.
The funding is not a large percentage of total money Planned Parenthood uses to operate 28 clinics in Ohio, but organization officials say the money is used for educational programs that will be impacted. Those include a Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program, HIV counseling and testing, and sex education.
In alleging constitutional violations in its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood said the law would place an "undue burden" on a woman's right to a legal abortion because the loss in funding for other programs could force clinics to close, particularly in Cincinnati.
State funds are forbidden from being used toward abortions. Planned Parenthood performed about 30 percent (6,237) of the 21,186 abortions performed in Ohio in 2014 - and 36 percent in Franklin County.
Ohio Right to Life officials had said the bill has been at the top of their legislative agenda for years, and they praised lawmakers for ensuring taxpayer dollars are "shielded from the abortion industry." Planned Parenthood still receives Medicaid reimbursements.
Source