Planned Parenthood defunding bill heads to La. House floor

BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers seeking to strip taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood, if its New Orleans clinic starts providing abortions, have won support for the effort from the House health committee.



Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards is pushing the bill by Republican Rep. Frank Hoffmann that would ban public funding for any organization that performs abortions.



Supporters acknowledge the legislation is aimed at Planned Parenthood, which has indicated it wants to offer abortions at its new clinic under construction in New Orleans.



Opponents said the ban conflicts with federal regulations governing Medicaid financing and would strip money from needed health care services for the poor.



A federal judge has blocked Louisiana's efforts to cut off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood clinics.



Without objection, the committee advanced the bill Wednesday to the full House.