At one time, Planned Parenthood in Florida received about half a million dollars in taxpayer funds each year. No more.
In March, Florida state legislators passed a bill to revoke taxpayer funding from the abortion giant and any other clinics that do abortions. That money will be redirected to community health clinics that provide comprehensive care to women and their families.
Like many other pieces of legislation introduced across the U.S. in recent months, the legislation came in response to a series of undercover videos showing the Planned Parenthood abortion business selling aborted babies’ body parts.
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The Tampa Bay Times reported in March that the abortion group received about $200,000 in Medicaid funds every year from Florida, but a new report from the Palm Beach Post said the abortion group also received taxpayer funds from other government programs, amounting to about $500,000 in total.
The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates explained on its website, “… because the legislation is broadly written, Planned Parenthood will also lose access to reimbursements from local government entities and federal funding from the Title X program that is contracted through local county Health Departments.”
The Post reports more about the situation:
After Planned Parenthood determined that the clinic measure signed last month by Gov. Rick Scott will cost it about $500,000 in government support statewide, officials for the nonprofit are searching for alternate funding sources for a variety of outreach and reproductive health programs the organization provides for teens and the poor.
About half of that money is for programs in Palm Beach County.
Once the clinic law kicks in July 1, Palm Beach County’s Children’s Services Council would be barred from continuing to steer $204,000 in taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood for a teen outreach program.
Planned Parenthood also would lose the $44,600 it receives through the Palm Beach County Health Department for family planning and health programs serving 2,500 lower-income women. …
“Not every organization gets the benefit of government dollars to do their work,” said Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, a sponsor of the bill. “A lot of people just don’t want to support an organization with their taxes that is performing abortions.”
Planned Parenthood has 22 locations in Florida, including 15 that do abortions. All of the locations refer for abortions.
Before the bill passed, state Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, emphasized how Florida citizens’ taxpayer dollars are funding abortions.
“We pay their light bill, we pay their salaries, we pay all kinds of things when the state contracts with these clinics,” Bean said. “Let’s get Florida out of the abortion business.”
The reality is that Planned Parenthood’s non-abortion services have been declining rapidly, according to its own annual reports. Between 2009 and 2014, Planned Parenthood’s cancer screenings and breast exams/breast care dropped by more than half, according to its annual reports. “Cancer screenings” fell from 1,830,811 to just 682,208 in that same period of time. “Breast exams/breast care” fell by more than half, from 830,312 in 2009 to 363,803 in 2014 and Pap smear tests dropped nearly two-thirds, from 904,820 to 271,539.
The Florida legislation would redirect the tax dollars to other non-abortion community health services, ensuring that women will have access to basic health services. Community health centers, which offer comprehensive health care to women and families, outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities by 20 to one.
Previously, an ACLU spokesperson said they would consider suing the state if the legislation becomes law. However, the spokesperson said it would depend partly on the outcome of another Florida law that the pro-abortion legal group is challenging. That law requires women to wait 24 hours before having an abortion. In February, the 1st District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the pro-life law, allowing it to take effect, LifeNews reported.
