The state of Wisconsin announced Wednesday it would pay $1.6 million to Planned Parenthood after a legal fight over a law intended to improve safety regulations, but which was struck down because it would make it harder to have a legal abortion.
The settlement follows an almost three-year-long court proceeding after the passage of Act 37, which was eventually declared unconstitutional on the grounds that it puts unreasonable obstacles in the path of women seeking abortions.
“Governor Walker’s unconstitutional abortion restrictions have proven to be an expensive bill for the taxpayers of Wisconsin,” the organization said in a statement. “Funds that would be better spent ensuring that women in Wisconsin had access to basic birth control and preventive health care are instead being wasted on unconstitutional restrictions aimed at blocking access to abortion in our state.”
The settlement marks positive news for Planned Parenthood, who closed an abortion clinic in Grand Chute this August.
What began as a short-time closure in October to address staffing shortages led to a permanent end to the Appleton-area clinic. Teri Huyck, CEO of the Wisconsin division of Planned Parenthood, cited safety as the primary decision to close. Following an attack at a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado Springs, the organization moved to increase security measures in its facilities throughout the country. The facility in Grand Chute did not meet the new safety requirements.
“Last November, the Planned Parenthood health center in Colorado Springs was the target of a violent attack,” said Huyck in a statement to the press. “Following our extensive review, we concluded that our Appleton North facility cannot meet the stringent security standards we have in a post-Colorado Springs environment. As a result, we made the difficult decision not to reopen the Appleton North facility as originally planned.”
Wisconsin has 21 Planned Parenthood health centers, three of which provide abortions. The remaining clinics focus on preventative health measures for women, including birth control, HIV screening and STD treatment.
