The president of Planned Parenthood says the effort in the Missouri legislature to bar abortion providers from receiving any funds from Medicaid is a waste of taxpayers鈥� money.
, state and federal funds can only cover abortions in the case of rape, incest or when it鈥檚 necessary to save a woman鈥檚 life.
But the Missouri House sent the Senate for services like pap smears or testing for an STD.
While in St. Louis campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over the weekend, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said the measure would deny women on Medicaid the choice to go to Planned Parenthood for those services.
鈥淲e provide family planning services to tens of thousands of women here in Missouri and that鈥檚 what they鈥檙e trying to end,鈥� Richards said. 鈥淚t won鈥檛 hold up in court, and they鈥檙e wasting both taxpayers鈥� money and the voters鈥� time.鈥�
Federal judges
When the measure passed the House on Thursday as part of a state budget package, state Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville, said was included because 鈥渢he taxpayers in the state have made it very clear; they do not want their tax dollars going to support abortion services.鈥�
On Sunday, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards attended a brunch co-hosted by state Rep. Stacey Newman and other pro-abortion rights supporters.
Newman said some of her fellow state legislators are conducting a 鈥渨itch hunt鈥� this legislative session against Planned Parenthood.
In addition to the House budget passed last week, Newman said she was concerned about that she expects to go before the floor this week.
鈥淥ne of the more harmful elements actually would prevent anyone if it became law from actually even donating any fetal tissue,鈥� Newman said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had several physicians actually testify in committee in terms of real case stories that often women, particularly who have suffered several miscarriages and are trying hard to have a child, often want to have their tissue researched to find out any type of fetal anomalies, anything that they can do to actually help them produce a healthy pregnancy in the future.鈥�
Newman said she was also concerned about so-called 鈥渢rap law鈥� measures that would put additional restrictions on abortion providers.
. With two months left in the session, three bills introduced in the House have been passed on to the Senate for consideration. Two Senate bills have made it through committee.
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