The bill, which will be introduced this Thursday, comes as an anti-abortion organization has released controversial undercover videos featuring Planned Parenthood officials talking about the process of providing aborted fetal organs for research.
On Tuesday, Ohio Rep. Margaret Conditt, R-Liberty Twp., responded to those videos with legislation that calls for the state to stop the distribution of a series of federal funds to any facilities that perform or promote abortions. The bill would also de-fund centers that contract or affiliate with entities that provide abortions.
Conditt, who is jointly sponsoring the bill with Bill Patmon, D-Cleveland, was not available for comment on the legislation Tuesday.
Ohio is home to 27 Planned Parenthood centers but only three perform surgical abortions, a spokeswoman for the group said. None of those facilities donate aborted fetal tissue, she said.
The organization has received more than $8 million in federal funding through the state since 2009, according to records with the Ohio treasurer’s office. Last year, Planned Parenthood received $1.3 million, with nearly $500,000 going to Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio. The group offers services in Hamilton and Dayton, but neither of those facilities provide abortions.
Planned Parenthood offers cancer screening, contraceptives, infant mortality programming and family planning services, said NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio director Kellie Copeland. She described the legislation as a battle over “political ideology.”
“The idea that they’re going to look at these very heavily edited videos alleging things from another state and try to go after one of are most-trusted health care providers is shameful,” Copeland said.
But the bill is likely to have bipartisan support in both chambers of the state legislature, said Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis.
“This isn’t a political ideological bill,” Gonidakis said. “This is a common sense bill.”
Conditt received a $100 donation to her campaign in 2011 from Cincinnati Right to Life as did Rep. Wes Retherford (R-Hamilton), who is signed on as a cosponsor of the legislation, according to state campaign finance records. Patmon, the Cleveland Democrat who’s also sponsoring the bill, has not received any funding, however.
The proposed legislation will redirect the banned funding to “state programs focused on improving Ohio’s infant mortality rate” according to a statement from the offices of Conditt and Patmon.
Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miami Twp., who is co-sponsoring the bill said he thinks the funding should be redirected to other clinics and medical centers in the area.
“For me, tax dollars shouldn’t be used for an organization like this,” Antani said.
Republican leaders also announced Tuesday that a vote to block federal aid to Planned Parenthood would come before the U.S. Senate but Senate Democrats say they strongly oppose the move.
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