CAPITOL DOME OPINION ART.jpg

(PennLive file photo)

Good Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

The state Senate has already passed a 20-week abortion ban. Now, reminding us that it's hard to keep a bad idea down, one of the chamber's most high-profile social conservatives is going after the organization that helps provide women with access to abortion services.

State Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair, has introduced legislation that would effectively de-fund Planned Parenthood by pushing it to the back of the line for access to state funds.

In a memo seeking support for his bill, Eichelberger wrote that "limited federal and state public funding exists for family planning and preventive health services for women.

"To ensure maximized use of funding, this legislation will prioritize the distribution to the most efficient point-of-service health care providers and encourage complete medical records for all services provided to women," Eichelberger wrote.

Among the bill's 10 co-sponsors are Sen. Michele Brooks, R-Crawford, sponsor of the 20-week abortion ban bill and Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York, a 2018 candidate for governor.

If Eichelberger's name sounds familiar, that's probably because, back in February, he attracted some negative headlines for suggesting that ... errr ... college might not be for everyone:

Under Eichelberger's plan, state funding would be prioritized, with 'public entities' receiving first priority, "followed by non-public hospitals and federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics and non-public health providers that have their primary purpose as the provision of primary health care," he wrote.

Planned Parenthood, which conservatives have targeted for years, falls into that final category.

Eichelberger's bill would amend the state's Fiscal Code, which formally serves as the instruction manual for spending money allocated by the state budget. More often the hulking bill is used as a place to hide lawmakers' pet projects and other generally terrible ideas.

In last year's legislative session, the state House marooned similar legislation sponsored by Rep. Paul Schemel, R-Franklin, in the Health Committee without it ever coming to a floor vote.

Sari Stevens, the Harrisburg lobbyist for Planned Parenthood, told the Chambersburg Public Opinion that the "intent of [Eichelberger's] bill is clear: to deny women access to lifesaving preventative care such as cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing and treatment, and wellness exams.

"With nearly half of Planned Parenthood's medical centers in rural and underserved communities, this bill would be crippling to the patients who need care the most," she wrote.

The women's health organization came under similar assault during last month's failed Republican push on the Affordable Care Act. That GOP-authored bill would have rolled back the law's Medicaid expansion.

Although federal law already bans the direct use of taxpayer money for abortion (*updated: except in the cases of rape, incest or to prevent a woman's death), low-income women use Medicaid to access other women's health services through Planned Parenthood.

Eichelberger's bill is now before the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Scott E. Hutchinson, R-Venango.

The rest of the day's news starts now.

Overdose deaths are spiking in Westmoreland County, The Tribune-Review reports.

Washington is worried about the prospect of a Chinese-owned Westinghouse in western Pa., The Post-Gazette reports.

The former owner of a popular Philadelphia swim club has been accused of selling $70k in fake memberships, PhillyMag reports.

The special taxing district around Allentown's hockey stadium is finally returning on the taxpayers' investment, The Morning Call reports.

In Philly, it's a sellers' market for real estate, BillyPenn reports.

Here's your #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day:

NewsWorks/WHYY-FM on the 21st century app that gets your message to Congress using 18th Century tech (the U.S. Mail).

WITF-FM focuses on the centennial of the U.S. entrance into WWI.

And if you haven't seen it already, check out what the Editorial Page of the Harrisburg Evening News had to say about this historic event at the time. It's part of a new feature "What Were We Thinking?"

The state Superior Court has thrown out the $1 million in restitution that former state House Speaker John M. Perzel, R-Philadelphia, was ordered to pay as part of his public corruption conviction, PoliticsPA reports.

States want more career and technical training, but they're struggling to find teachers to provide it, Stateline.org reports.

A Trump mega-donor urged White House consigliere Steve Bannon not to resign after he was booted from the National Security Council on Wednesday, Politico reports.

Roll Call looks at whether President Donald Trump is capable of picking fights with GOP incumbents in 2018.

What Goes On.

Begging the question "Why?" folks will rally on behalf of SCOTUS pick Neil Gorsuch during a noontime event in the Capitol rotunda.

What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition).

Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Allegheny, holds a 5:30 p.m. reception at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh. Admission runs $500 to $2,500, dependent, as ever, on the intensity of your desire to bask in his reflected glow.

WolfWatch

Gov. Tom Wolf makes it easy on us today: No public schedule.

You Say It's Your Birthday Dept.

Best wishes go out this morning to Jeff Johnson in the Office of Attorney General. Congrats, sir. Enjoy the day.

Heavy Rotation.

Here's a lovely bit of danceable pop to get your rainy Thursday morning going:

Thursday's Gratuitous Baseball Link.

Our hockey season is over, so it's time to move onto the boys of summer. Baltimore made it two in a row last night, beating the 'Jays 3-1 at the Yard. Adam Jones' two-run blast and a solo shot from Chris Davis sealed the win.

And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit.