Gov. Scott Walker signed two bills into law Thursday that will cut funding for Planned Parenthood in the state of Wisconsin by an estimated $8 million dollars.
“Today, we signed two bills into law that prioritize women’s health while improving government and its services to the citizens of Wisconsin,” Walker said in Waukesha Thursday.
The first bill, Assembly Bill 310, restricts the Department of Health Services from allocating federal Title X funding to Planned Parenthood, the state’s leading abortion provider.
Under the new bill, this funding is prohibited from going to entities that provide abortions and will instead will only fund health screenings and family planning for the poor and uninsured. Previously, Planned Parenthood had received $3.5 million a year from Title X funding.
The second bill, Senate Bill 238, focuses on prescription drugs and requires state entities that provide abortions to limit billing taxpayers through Medicaid for acquisition costs, plus an additional dispensing fee.
These entities, like Planned Parenthood, can gain federal funding through a Medicaid program known as 340B. This prescription drug bill will cut $4.5 million from Planned Parenthood’s budget.
“These bills require DHS to apply for additional federal funding for women’s health services to be obtained from less controversial providers and ensure prescription reimbursement processes are handled in a cost-based and transparent manner,” Walker said in reference to the bills.
Across the state, pro-life advocates praised Walker’s support of these budget cuts.
“Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin profits from killing unborn babies and sexualizing our youth,” commented Pro Life Wisconsin in a press release Thursday, “This is not healthcare but rather a violation of the trust of women and families.”
Democratic lawmakers decried the bills as an attack on women. Previously, 38 Democrats had urged Gov. Walker to veto the controversial bills.
"I am deeply disappointed in Gov. Walker's decision to attack Planned Parenthood and community health centers across Wisconsin,” said state Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, in a press release Thursday. “Rather than limiting preventive care services, cancer screenings and birth control, we should be expanding access to health care and working to grow our middle class.”
