Planned Parenthood protested the Florida legislature this week, saying it’s making politically motivated attacks against it.
This includes attempts by the Florida House to block funding to the organization. There are also bills adding regulations that the organization said will restrict access to abortions.
The Florida House’s budget specifically said state health agencies cannotprovide funds to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood’s Director of Public Policy and Field Operations for Southwest and Central Florida Anna Eskamani said the organization provides services to thousands of people in places like Collier County by working with local health departments.
“This is through services rendered by contracts that we have, by grants that we have to serve patients with preventative healthcare services. That includes birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings,” she said.
State Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, chairs the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. He said during an Appropriations Committee meeting earlier this month that defunding Planned Parenthood is a way of exerting legislative control over state health agencies.
“When we give them money, we expect them to use it in a manner consist with the principles that we put forward in the budget and we’re telling them ‘We don’t want you to contract with these folks directly or indirectly,’” he said.
The state senate budget does not exclude Planned Parenthood from funding.
The organization also opposes a pair of abortion-related bills. The bills – among other things – require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
Supporters said it protects the health of Floridians and regulates abortions just like any other medical procedure.
Opponents said it’s a just way to limit access to legal abortion.
The bill also deals with the sale or transfer of fetal remains from abortions. This, and defunding Planned Parenthood became part of a national conversation after a series of controversial videos were released last year alleging the organization was selling fetal remains for profit.
State Rep. Hudson told the House committee the choice to defund Planned Parenthood was a funding decision.
State Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, sponsored the House version of the abortion-related bill. She told the Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this month the bill was not a response to the videos.
"The bill was written in an effort to protect the health and welfare of Floridians and also to make sure that the state of Florida through AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration) is working effectively out in the field with those clinics that perform abortions across our state," she said.
Several states - including Florida - launched investigations into Planned Parenthood after the videos were released. NPR reported in late January the investigations have not yet found Planned Parenthood sold fetal remains for profit.
