Judge: Texas can't cut funds to Planned Parenthood

[white cloud]

By CHRIS TOMLINSON



ASSOCIATED PRESS


AUSTIN — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that Texas cannot ban Planned Parenthood from receiving state funds, at least until a lower court has a chance to hear formal arguments.

A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed Friday with a lower court that there’s sufficient evidence the state’s law preventing Planned Parenthood from participating in the Women’s Health Program is unconstitutional. The program provides basic health care and contraception to 130,000 poor women.

District Court Judge Lee Yeakel had issued an injunction Tuesday keeping Texas from enforcing the law, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott appealed to the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans.
>>>
http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2012-05-04/judge-texas-cant-cut-funds-planned-parenthood

[AC_Mem]

1. Finally a bit of sanity

Let's hope it continues...


Shine on!
Annette

[opihimoimoi]

2. KnR The judge is correct

[sonias]

3. Sweet!

I was out of town this weekend but I did get some e-mail from Planned Parenthood about the game switch. This program and PP are being tossed around like a football. I hope that this holds permanently. No one would ever accuse the Fifth Circuit Court of being liberal. They're as conservative as they can be. Yet they ruled against Abbott.

I hope PP wins in court!

Here's some great news today!

We were notified that the Fifth Circuit Court has ruled in favor of Texas women and has lifted the emergency hold that (since Monday) had excluded Planned Parenthood from continuing to participate in the Women's Health Program (WHP).

This means that women can continue coming to our health centers for their WHP health services! Our top priority is ensuring low-income Texas women have access to life-saving preventive health care and birth control to plan and space their pregnancies through this vital program. Nearly half of the Texas women in this program count on Planned Parenthood for their health care.

Regardless of the political hurdles placed in front of Texas women--Planned Parenthood is here and our doors are open.

We don't know what the future may hold. The lawsuit is still pending in District Court and an appeal to Judge Yeakel's original injunction is pending with the Fifth Circuit Court. Rulings in both could significantly impact Texas women's access to health care, including the more than 2,300 women who receive free health screenings and birth control through WHP at our E. 7th health center.

We will keep you posted, but until then we are grateful for today's victory.

Thank you--as always---for standing with Planned Parenthood.

Sarah Wheat and Pam Smallwood

Interim Co-CEOs
Planned Parenthood