Jefferson City — A circuit judge has ordered two Planned Parenthood branches to repay the state $668,850 in family planning grants, upholding a prohibition on state money going to the affiliates of abortion providers.
Planned Parenthood officials said the organization would appeal the ruling, issued May 25 in Cole County Circuit Court but first publicized Tuesday by the Missouri Catholic Conference.
The decision is at least the third time a circuit judge has determined Planned Parenthood was not entitled to the family planning money distributed by the state health department. The state Supreme Court overturned two previous rulings without ever addressing the merits of the case.
After Republicans gained control of both the House and Senate, they stopped funding family planning grants altogether in the 2004 budget. But the legal dispute continued over money previously awarded to Planned Parenthood. [Source]
