La. Delays Bid to End Planned Parenthood Funding

Louisiana put off implementation of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s order to revoke Medicaid contracts for Planned Parenthood after a federal judge raised questions about the state’s reasoning for the move, Bloomberg News writes. The state agreed to delay the planned funding cutoff, which was set to take effect Wednesday, until Sept. 15.

U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, hearing arguments Wednesday on Planned Parenthood’s suit to block the order, questioned Louisiana’s contention that it can break the contracts regardless of the women’s health organization’s qualifications as a Medicaid provider. “You’re telling me the reason to do it is there is no reason? That we are doing it because we can do it?” he asked an attorney for the state.

Mr. Jindal issued the order last month, citing an anti-abortion group’s video campaign purporting to show that Planned Parenthood illegally sells fetal tissue for medical research. The nonprofit denies the allegation and says the undercover videos are deceptively edited.

Alabama is also seeking to cut off Planned Parenthood’s funding.