Federal Court Strikes Down Arizona Abortion Law
The measure would have kept Medicaid funding from some providers, including Planned Parenthood.
Los Angeles Times: 9th Circuit Rejects Arizona Law Banning Care By Abortion Providers
An Arizona law barring Medicaid patients from obtaining routine care from medical providers who perform elective abortions violates federal requirements and may not be enforced, a federal appeals court decided unanimously Thursday (Dolan, 8/22).
The Hill: Court Blocks Arizona’s Attempt To Cut Off Planned Parenthood Funds
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's ruling against Arizona, which had sought to cut Planned Parenthood out of its Medicaid program because it provides abortions. Several states have tried to cut off Planned Parenthood's funding through similar laws, but have had limited success defending those restrictions in the courts (Baker, 8/22).
Bloomberg: Arizona Ban On Medicaid For Abortion Providers Voided
The Arizona law prohibits Medicaid funding for health-care providers who perform abortions except when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or threatens the health or life of the mother. The measure, which had been scheduled to take effect in August, was challenged by Planned Parenthood Arizona (Gullo, 8/22).
Arizona Republic: Arizona’s Anti-Abortion Medicaid Law Struck Down
Anti-abortion leaders, who were regrouping after Thursday’s ruling, are essentially left with two options: appeal to a U.S. Supreme Court that is often more conservative in its decisions than the 9th Circuit, or try their luck with a 2014 Legislature that may be more willing to push abortion issues in an election year (Rau, 8/22).
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Reuters: Indiana: State Sued Over Abortion Clinic Rules
Planned Parenthood sued on Thursday over a new state law requiring clinics that administer the so-called abortion pill to have full surgical facilities, a requirement it says would halt abortion services at a central Indiana clinic. Planned Parenthood would have to upgrade its clinic in Lafayette to surgical standards or stop administering RU-486, commonly called the abortion pill, it said in a lawsuit (Guyett, 8/22).
