A federal judge has ruled that, for now, Utah can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood Association of Utah.
After seeing the release of secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing fetal tissue collection, Utah Governor Gary Herbert ordered the state to end $275 thousand dollars worth of contracts with Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. The money helps the organization provide after school sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs. Utah’s Planned Parenthood officials asked a federal judge to block the move, but he denied that request on Tuesday. In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups writes that the very nature of the Governor’s position gives him the discretion to decide which programs are in the state’s best interest.
In a statement sent to KUER, Karrie Galloway, CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, writes,“The court’s decision to deny our request for an injunction is regrettable. We are reviewing next steps with our attorneys and we will be looking at every possible way to continue the critical health care and education programs that are at risk.”
Utah is one of several states that has moved to cut funding to Planned Parenthood chapters. Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana have done the same.
