Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast Tuesday asked a federal court to block the state of Louisiana from halting funding through Medicaid after the release of videos on fetal tissue research, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, along with three patient co-plaintiffs, filed for an injunction to halt Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R) order that would bar the organization from receiving Medicaid funds, effective Sept. 2.
Earlier this month, Gov. Jindal said he was giving Planned Parenthood a 30-day notice that he was canceling its contract with the state.
Alabama, Arkansas, New Hampshire and Utah have all moved to reduce or stop funding for Planned Parenthood following the release of video from antiabortion group the Center for Medical Progress. The Center for Medical Progress claims the undercover videos show Planned Parenthood allegedly profited from giving fetal tissue to researchers, which Planned Parenthood denies, according to the report.
Planned Parenthood has said the videos don't provide evidence to support the anti-abortion group's "false and outrageous claims," according to the report. The organization further said it only procures tissue for donation in California and Washington state with the consent of the women who donate it.
Mike Reed, one of Gov. Jindal's spokesmen, said Planned Parenthood's lawsuit is without merit and the state with aggressively defend its position.
In the past, courts in other states have sided with Planned Parenthood when states cut their Medicaid funding, such as in Indiana and Arizona, according to the report.
Currently, Louisiana's Planned Parenthood facilities don't provide abortions.