Court Rules Planned Parenthood Gets Ohio Taxpayer Money

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CINCINNATI (ChurchMilitant.com) - Federal judge Michael Barrett has ruled that Ohio lawmakers cannot block Planned Parenthood from getting state money.

In a decision handed down Friday, Judge Michael Barrett is ruling House Bill 294 (HB 294) cannot be enforced. Passed in February by the Ohio state assembly and Gov. John Kasich, HB 294 mandates that state money cannot go to organizations promoting, performing or contracting "non-therapeutic" abortions.

The law was supposed to take effect on May 23, but U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett issued an injunction Friday blocking the law at the request of Planned Parenthood, which stands to lose $1.3 million yearly in federal money distributed through the Ohio Health Department.

In a press release after the decision, Cleveland Right to Life's president Molly Smith commented, "Here is one more example of the arrogance of the Federal Court. ... Ohio has a history of preferring childbirth over abortion and this common sense and life-enhancing citizen policy has been ignored by this activist judge."

She continues, "If we are to stop abortions in the state and in the country it is time to consider a new and meaningful approach to achieving our goal. For over 40 years the pro-life leadership has been playing defense with the result that nearly 60 million children are now dead."

Cleveland Right to Life is urging Ohio Department of Health Director Rick Hodges to appeal the decision.

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