Planned Parenthood of Indiana’s motion in U.S. District Court to stop enforcement of the new Indiana law that denies Medicaid funding to the organization was successful today along with a similar ruling denying enforcement of portions of a a strict immigration law that also came out of the Republican controlled General Assembly. Its only a beginning, but it seems a good omen, what with all the recent wingnuttiness around the midwest this spring.
A federal judge in Indianapolis on Friday blocked part of an Indiana law that cut off public funding for the state’s Planned Parenthood outlets because they provide abortions, the Associated Press reported.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, who was appointed in 2010 by President Barack Obama, granted the family planning organization an injunction that voids the portion of the Indiana law, recently signed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) is thrilled to announce that U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has granted its motion for a preliminary injunction to halt the enforcement of the new dangerous state law that strips Medicaid funding from PPIN.
The decision comes after a rocky week for PPIN. The organization had to stop seeing Medicaid patients Tuesday, lay off two employees, and furlough all employees for one day.
The injunction is excellent news for the organization. It means that PPIN can once again be reimbursed for the preventive health care it provides its 9,300 Medicaid patients and is now restored as a preferred provider under Medicaid and will remain as such as the lawsuit continues and until a final resolution is reached.
“This decision will have immediate, positive consequences for our patients and our organization, the state’s largest reproductive health care provider,” said PPIN President and CEO Betty Cockrum. “This ruling means we can once again provide Pap tests, breast exams, STD testing and treatment and birth control to both existing and new Medicaid patients. It also means that we have avoided the difficult decision to close health centers and lay off more staff members while the permanent injunction we are seeking is pending.”
PPIN is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana (ACLU of Indiana) and the case is being led by Legal Director Ken Falk.
Also this week, voter suppression efforts in two states received setbacks from their governors.
Missouri Gov. Nixon vetoes voter-ID bill
“Disenfranchising certain classes of persons is not acceptable,” he wrote in the veto message.
North Carolina governor vetoes photo ID voter bill
“We must always be vigilant in protecting the integrity of our elections,” Perdue said in a statement. “But requiring every voter to present a government-issued photo ID is not the way to do it.”
