BENTONVILLE -- Cutting off about $50,000 of state taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood irresponsibly risks the health of Arkansans and goes against federal law, the state committee of the Arkansas Democratic Party unanimously declared Saturday.
At a long-scheduled state Democratic Party meeting at Bentonville High School on Saturday, the resolution condemning Gov. Asa Hutchinson's decision to end the state's contract with Planned Parenthood passed with at least 150 present and with no dissent.
The $50,000 from the state goes to pay for health services such as birth control and the screening, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
"Planned Parenthood is already banned by state and federal law from providing abortion services with public funds," the Democratic Party's resolution read. "Therefore, the governor's actions are symbolic rather than substantive."
The governor's action came after a conservative anti-abortion group released video and transcripts of conversations with Planned Parenthood executives, doctors and staff members in other states. The Planned Parenthood representatives were discussing how much money the organization would receive for providing tissue from aborted fetuses. Members of the anti-abortion group, the Center for Medical Progress, posed as agents of medical research firms and recorded the discussions in secret.
Selling fetal tissue for profit is illegal under federal law. However, claiming reimbursement for the costs of obtaining tissue from organs from aborted fetuses for research purposes was sanctioned by federal law in 1993. The fees are only supposed to cover costs, and the tissue is only to be used for medical research under federal law.
Planned Parenthood has said the conversations on the videos were in reference to reimbursements for providing fetal tissue for research, while critics have accused the organization of selling fetal tissue.
Arkansas is one of at least three states to cut support to Planned Parenthood after the videos became public.
"Unfortunately, it would appear there are no pro-life Democrats left in Arkansas," state Rep. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, said after Saturday's resolution passed. Dotson is a supporter of the governor's action.
The state House Republican Caucus and Senate Republican Caucus released statements Saturday saying they agreed with the decision to end Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood.
"Recent revelations detailing the barbaric, cruel and illegal practice of harvesting the organs of unborn babies for profit make it clear that this organization does not share Arkansas values," said a statement from state Senate Majority Leader Jim Hendren, R-Gravette.
The governor expects a review of his decision by federal authorities but is confident his action to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood is allowed by law, a spokesman for his office said Friday.
Federal Medicaid law requires states to not discriminate against health care providers such as Planned Parenthood that offer abortion services, the Democratic Party resolution says.
"We call on Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to put her own party loyalty aside and advise the Governor to delay taking action that exposes the state to costly litigation risks and hurts families in violation of federal law," the resolution reads.
Personal convictions on abortion don't change the law, Vince Insalaco, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said after the resolution passed.
"This money goes to protect the health of Arkansans, and the argument that this is about abortion is a bogus argument," he said.
Arkansas taxpayers don't want to financially support an organization selling pieces of aborted children, said state Sen. Bart Hester, R-Bentonville, who supports cutting the funds.
"I expect other health care providers will step up and provide the services Planned Parenthood was providing with this money," he said Saturday. "This is a losing argument for Democrats."
Information for this article was contributed by staff members of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Metro on 08/16/2015