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Ohio Bill Targets Grant Money Going to Planned Parenthood
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
Update 4:00 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio bill that aims to divert more than $1 million in government money away from Planned Parenthood has passed the state Senate after Democrats and other opponents claimed it threatens access to health care services.
The proposal targets grants that the organization receives through the Ohio Department of Health. The taxpayer dollars support initiatives for HIV testing, breast and cervical cancer screenings, prevention of violence against women and others.
The legislation follows the release of secretly recorded videos by anti-abortion activists showing Planned Parenthood employees describing how they provide fetal tissue from abortions for medical research. Planned Parenthood says the videos are deceptively edited.
The measure passed on a 23-10 vote Wednesday after clearing a committee earlier in the day.
A similar bill is pending in the House.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – An Ohio bill that aims to divert government dollars away from Planned Parenthood is slated for a possible vote by a legislative panel.
The Senate’s Government and Oversight Committee is hearing testimony Wednesday on a proposal that targets money Planned Parenthood receives through federal grants administered by the Ohio Department of Health. The organization got more than $1 million in such grants last budget year to support initiatives including testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
The committee’s chairman is limiting testimony to two minutes, as dozens of opponents prepared to speak on the bill.
The legislation follows the release of secretly recorded videos by anti-abortion activists showing Planned Parenthood employees describing how they provide fetal tissue from abortions for medical research. Planned Parenthood says the videos are heavily edited and misleading.