North Carolina Votes To Defund Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood lost state funding in North Carolina this week when House Republicans voted to override Gov. Beverly Perdue’s veto of the budget, implementing a rule preventing Department of Health and Human Services from contracting with private family planning service providers.

Critics believe that Republicans are using the rule as a loophole. Last year North Carolina Republicans tried to defund Planned Parenthood specifically, but U.S. District Court Judge James Beaty blocked the provision, arguing that the state couldn’t single out a particular health provider.

According to Planned Parenthood North Carolina, the non-profit will lose $200,000 in state money that would have been used for preventative care for low-income women. Planned Parenthood also argues that no state funds are used for abortions. Republicans maintain that the budget includes almost $350,000 to be reallocated to county health departments that will provide the same preventative care that Planned Parenthood would have.