LITTLE ROCK — A federal judge has approved Planned Parenthood's request to expand its lawsuit challenging Arkansas' decision to cut off Medicaid funding to the group over videos secretly recorded by an anti-abortion group.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker on Monday granted Planned Parenthood's motion seeking class-action status for its lawsuit challenging the termination. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson in August said he was terminating the contract over the videos.

Baker in October issued a preliminary injunction ordering Arkansas to pay for the services for the three unidentified plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Her decision allows the state to ban the funding in other circumstances.

Planned Parenthood says it will now ask Baker to expand her order to include all Medicaid patients who use Planned Parenthood.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.