Federal judge rules Ohio's effort to defund Planned Parenthood is unconstitutional, permanently

[TexasTowelie]

Federal judge rules Ohio's effort to defund Planned Parenthood is unconstitutional, permanently blocks law

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- A federal judge on Friday permanently blocked Ohio from implementing laws that would defund Planned Parenthood by making the agency ineligible for state funding to pay for health care programs for the poor.

The judge also ruled the laws unconstitutional.

Judge Michael R. Barrett of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio ruled the state's efforts violated Planned Parenthood's rights to free speech and due process and that any action to implement the law would cause irreparable injury.

While Barrett acknowledged that Ohio could legally establish a policy that favored childbirth over abortion and that it could (as it has done) bar use of public funding on non-therapeutic abortion procedures, the programs hit by this state law have nothing to do with abortion.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2016/08/federal_judge_rules_ohios_effo.html