NATIONAL PRO-LIFE NEWS

Ohio Bill Removes Funding From Planned Parenthood

by Maria Gallagher
LifeNews.com Staff Writer
June 23, 2003

Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life taxpayers in Ohio have reason to celebrate this week. The Ohio legislature has approved a budget bill which will change the way the state funds women’s health programs. Under the compromise bill, the state "family planning" program is being replaced with a "women’s health services" program starting January 1, 2004. The new program will give priority to services provided by local health departments rather than by Planned Parenthood, which currently receives most of the $1.7 million in Ohio family planning funding.

"This is a victory not only for pro-life taxpayers, but for low-income
women," Mark Lally, legislative counsel for Ohio Right to Life, told LifeNews.com.

"Currently, many of Ohio's local health departments provide women's health services, such as breast and cervical cancer screenings, only a few times a year or only for some women, such as those who are pregnant or over 40. Other departments formerly provided them but had to stop because they lost their funding. Since Planned Parenthood has the private resources to continue providing services to their clientele, expanding the services available at local health departments should increase access and the total
number of women served."

Lally notes that Planned Parenthood is the biggest abortion operation in the nation, with sizeable resources at its disposal. Thus, taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood makes little economic sense.

"Planned Parenthood’s argument that poor women would lose services was undercut by the fact that their IRS Form 990s showed that almost all of Planned Parenthood’s Ohio affiliates had more than enough money in cash and investments to continue providing their services without state funding. In fact some of their affiliates had far more in cash and investments than the state’s entire $1.7 million family planning program," Lally said.

Under language approved by a House-Senate conference committee, grant applicants, other than local departments of health, will have to provide either all eight of the listed women’s health services or all of the services except contraception.

The bill has the support of Ohio Governor Bob Taft, who is expected to sign it.


Enter your email address to receive news from LifeNews.com via email. Do you prefer to receive news daily or weekly? Daily Weekly Do you favor or oppose abortion? Favor Oppose Click here to make a PayPal donation to LifeNews.com!	NATIONAL PRO-LIFE NEWS Ohio Bill Removes Funding From Planned Parenthood by Maria Gallagher LifeNews.com Staff Writer June 23, 2003 Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life taxpayers in Ohio have reason to celebrate this week. The Ohio legislature has approved a budget bill which will change the way the state funds women’s health programs. Under the compromise bill, the state "family planning" program is being replaced with a "women’s health services" program starting January 1, 2004. The new program will give priority to services provided by local health departments rather than by Planned Parenthood, which currently receives most of the $1.7 million in Ohio family planning funding. "This is a victory not only for pro-life taxpayers, but for low-income women," Mark Lally, legislative counsel for Ohio Right to Life, told LifeNews.com. "Currently, many of Ohio's local health departments provide women's health services, such as breast and cervical cancer screenings, only a few times a year or only for some women, such as those who are pregnant or over 40. Other departments formerly provided them but had to stop because they lost their funding. Since Planned Parenthood has the private resources to continue providing services to their clientele, expanding the services available at local health departments should increase access and the total number of women served." Lally notes that Planned Parenthood is the biggest abortion operation in the nation, with sizeable resources at its disposal. Thus, taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood makes little economic sense. "Planned Parenthood’s argument that poor women would lose services was undercut by the fact that their IRS Form 990s showed that almost all of Planned Parenthood’s Ohio affiliates had more than enough money in cash and investments to continue providing their services without state funding. In fact some of their affiliates had far more in cash and investments than the state’s entire $1.7 million family planning program," Lally said. Under language approved by a House-Senate conference committee, grant applicants, other than local departments of health, will have to provide either all eight of the listed women’s health services or all of the services except contraception. The bill has the support of Ohio Governor Bob Taft, who is expected to sign it.