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Federal Appeals Court Says Ohio Can't Strip Planned Parenthood of Funding

Planned Parenthood advocates holding signs
Jo Ingles
/
Statehouse News
Advocates for Planned Parenthood rally at Ohio Statehouse in 2016.

A federal appeals court has unanimously upheld a decision that says a state law defunding Planned Parenthood is unconstitutional. 

The law has been on hold since abortion rights advocates sued two years ago. It would allow the Ohio Department of Health to strip $1.5 million in tax funding from Planned Parenthood.

Lawmakers say the measure simply steers federal funds intended for women’s health care away from providers that also offer abortions. A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that said it is unconstitutional to withhold those dollars. The state could ask the full federal court to consider the matter or appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court.

There is no word yet on what the state will do.