The Arizona legislature has passed the Whole Woman’s Health Funding Priority Act of Arizona (HB 2800) in a party-line vote -- a bill that bars the use of public funds by organizations that perform abortions. Governor Jan Brewer is expected to sign the bill after priority budget legislation is completed.
For background, read Planned Parenthood Defunded by More States and also read States Will Defund Planned Parenthood as well as Obama Stiffs Texas for Defunding Planned Parenthood
UPDATE 3/10/14: Supreme Court Negates Arizona Defunding of Abortionists
UPDATE 5/5/12: Gov. Brewer signs defunding into law
UPDATE 7/17/12: Planned Parenthood Sues Arizona for Defunding
-- From "Planned Parenthood funds at risk in Arizona" by Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic News 4/24/12
HB 2800, sponsored by Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, would have no effect on dollars that pass through the state Department of Health Services. That’s because the state does not provide money for family planning, agency spokesman Laura Oxley said.
Arizona receives $900,000 in federal money for family-planning and reproductive-health services and passes it on to county health departments and the Maricopa Integrated Health System. Those agencies do not provide abortions.
. . . a spokeswoman for Arizona’s Medicaid program said it is doubtful the bill would affect its services because the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System sends public dollars to private providers who can choose which partners to work with.
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From "Arizona Senate to vote on Planned Parenthood funding" by The Associated Press 4/19/12
Arizona already prohibits using tax dollars for abortions except to save the woman's life. But supporters say the bill is needed to cut off indirect funding for Planned Parenthood.
The New York-based [pro-abortion] Guttmacher Institute says six other states prohibit abortion providers from receiving family planning money through those states.
Guttmacher says court orders make laws in three of those states temporarily unenforceable.
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From "Arizona Senate Votes to De-Fund Planned Parenthood" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 4/24/12
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, Vice President of Government Affairs for SBA List, told LifeNews after the vote: “Planned Parenthood’s abortion-centered business model does not need or deserve taxpayer dollars. We encourage Gov. Brewer to quickly sign this bill into law. Arizona is leading the charge to protect taxpayers and women from Planned Parenthood and the violence of abortion.”
Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Steven Aden also commented, saying, “The hard-earned tax money of Arizonans shouldn’t be funneled to groups that perform abortions. This law ensures that public funds will not be used to subsidize the activities of organizations like Planned Parenthood that have demonstrated, nationwide, that they care more about their bottom line than they do about women or the proper use of taxpayer money.”
In 2011, eight states successfully defunded Planned Parenthood of more than $61.7 million — including Texas, New Hampshire, and Indiana. Ohio, Iowa, and Oklahoma have taken on Planned Parenthood’s tax funding, in addition to Arizona, this year.
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