The Ohio Senate on Wednesday quickly passed legislation to block state funding for Planned Parenthood’s health education and prevention programs.
Senate Bill 214 passed the Republican-controlled Senate along party lines in a 23-10 vote and now heads to the House for consideration.
The bill would redirect about $1.3 million annually from Planned Parenthood to federally qualified health centers, health departments, and other clinics that don’t perform or promote abortions or contract with facilities that do.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio offers birth control, cancer screenings, tests for sexually transmitted diseases and well-woman exams at its 28 centers across the state. Three centers perform abortions.
The bill cleared the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee a few hours earlier after two hearings. More than 50 opponents and a handful of proponents signed up to testify during Wednesday’s hearing.
All were limited to two minutes, enforced with a timer, and senators were asked to hold their questions until the end.
As witnesses walked up to testify before the committee and sat back down, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio CEO Stephanie Kight watched from the balcony above.
“This is not democracy,” she whispered.
Committee chairman Sen. Bill Coley, a Republican from Southwest Ohio, said time was limited and he wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to speak to the committee. He said proponents only sent three witnesses to the first committee hearing, so there was no need then for a time limit.
Coley disputed allegations that the bill was sent to his committee — composed of 11 men and one woman, nine Republicans and three Democrats — instead of the health committee for political reasons.
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