A federal judge on Monday blocked Ohio from defunding Planned Parenthood by making the agency ineligible for state funding to pay for health care programs for the poor.
Judge Michael R. Barrett of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on Monday issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from enforcing the law, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. John Kasich in February.
In his ruling, Barrett said allowing the law to take effect could cause irreparable harm to Planned Parenthood and its programs. Without the state funding, Planned Parenthood would be forced to stop providing services such as pap smears and other cancer screenings, tests for HIV/AIDS and tests and treatment for other STDs, infant mortality prevention programs and sexual health education programs.
Conversely, Barrett found, the state of Ohio would not suffer substantial harm if it were blocked from enforcing the law.
The restraining order runs through June 6. In the meantime, the court will consider Planned Parenthood’s request for an injunction that would further prevent the law from taking effect as it fights the state in court.
In is lawsuit filed May 11, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio argued the state had violated the U.S. constitution when it defunded the organization, punishing it for advocating safe abortions.
The law signed in February forbids the state from contracting for health services with any entity that performs or promotes non-therapeutic abortions. The organization could still perform abortions, but it would lose state health contracts.
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