Indiana law strips funds for Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON – Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican mulling a run for president, signed legislation Tuesday to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding in his state, a move widely seen as a bid to woo influential social conservatives.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana and the American Civil Liberties Union promptly went to court to try to block the measure from taking effect.

Federal law already prohibits using federal money, including Medicaid dollars, for abortion services.

But Planned Parenthood, which provides numerous other services such as cancer screenings and family planning, can receive Medicaid money for non-abortion-related services. Nationally, abortions make up less than 3 percent of the services Planned Parenthood provides, the group says.

Republicans in Congress and elsewhere argue none- theless that any federal funding for Planned Parenthood indirectly supports its ability to provide abortions.

And last month, Indiana lawmakers moved to make that state the first in the nation to explicitly bar federal funding for “any entity that performs abortions or maintains or operates a facility where abortions are performed.” Other states are poised to follow suit.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana operates 28 clinics, including four that offer abortions. Betty Cockrum, the group’s president, has said federal funding provides about 20 percent of its annual budget.

Daniels, a fiscal conservative who once called on the GOP to avoid divisive social issues, had announced that he would sign the bill.

“Any organization affected by this provision can resume receiving taxpayer dollars immediately by ceasing or separating its operations that perform abortions,” he has said.

On Tuesday, a spokeswoman said Daniels would not comment further.

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, denounced him for signing the law.

“Clearly, Gov. Daniels, who has called for a truce on social issues, would rather play politics with women’s health than show leadership and fiscal responsibility by rejecting a bill that will ultimately cost the state millions in federal funding,” she said.