Florida governor signs bill that terminates most funding for Planned Parenthood

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Elissa Graves regarding a Florida measure signed into law Friday by Gov. Rick Scott that significantly restricts public funding for abortion businesses such as Planned Parenthood, making Florida the 12th state to take action in recent months to strip taxpayer dollars from the abortion giant:

“Florida is right to redirect funds away from Planned Parenthood, a scandal-ridden abortion business that doesn’t provide comprehensive health care services for women. This new law terminates most funding for Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses, freeing up money for far more widely available and more comprehensive low-cost healthcare options for women and families in the state. Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t go to organizations with an extensive track record of abusive and potentially fraudulent billing practices, that have been caught in authenticated undercover videos negotiating prices for the body parts of babies, and that have repeatedly failed to report the sexual abuse of girls. Planned Parenthood is not necessary and certainly not worthy of Florida’s trust.” (#DefundPP)

Graves provided written testimony to the Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services to provide expert legal opinion on the legality and constitutionality of the portion of the bill that redirects funds. The final version of the bill (SB 1722 in the Senate, HB 1411 in the House) also increases and improves inspections at abortion facilities, brings abortion facility regulations into conformity with other ambulatory surgical centers, requires abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital in the event they need to admit a patient in an emergency, and enhances the protections governing fetal remains.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.