The Republican-controlled executive council in the state of New Hampshire has defunded Planned Parenthood after videos surfaced accusing the reproductive health care provider of selling tissues from aborted foetuses to medical researchers.
During Wednesday's meeting, Republican Councilors David Wheeler, Joseph Kenney and Christopher Sununu voted against awarding state contracts to Planned Parenthood in Northern New England (NNE) and NNE-Claremont worth $638,900 while Democratic Councilors Colin Van Ostern and Chris Pappas voted in favour of awarding the contracts.
It passed contracts with clinics that offer services for family planning, cancer screening, counseling and access to contraception, according to Fox News.
Wheeler cited the shocking series of videos taken by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress as the reason for their move to defund Planned Parenthood.
"You can't divorce what's going on nationally from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and we need a real investigation," he said.
Gov. Maggie Hassan said the state's Attorney General's office will not launch an investigation as it has not received any evidence of any illegal activity of Planned Parenthood in the state.
"We do not launch investigations in the state of New Hampshire on rumour," she said, adding that she was disappointed with the vote.
"Planned Parenthood provides critical primary and preventive health care services to thousands of New Hampshire women, including cancer screenings, birth control and STD testing. Access to these services is essential to the economic security and vitality of our families, and I am incredibly disappointed in the outcome of today's vote," she said.
She warned that "the council's vote to defund Planned Parenthood will hurt the health and economic well-being of thousands of Granite Staters" but vowed to "continue to fight to ensure that women and families have access to the important health services that are essential to the economic security and vitality of our families."
The action will cut by one-third the public funding for Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire, but it will still receive federal funding.
Meanwhile in Florida, the Agency for Health Care Administration has cited four Planned Parenthood clinics for violations including improper disposal of foetal remains and performing second-trimester abortions without a license.
The state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) said the Planned Parenthood clinics in St. Petersburg, Naples, and Fort Myers have been notified to immediately cease performing second-trimester abortions.
The agency could fine the clinics up to $500 per violation, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has ordered a state investigation into Planned Parenthood after the release of graphic videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the provision of foetal tissue to medical researchers.
"The videos are disturbing," Scott said Wednesday. "It's against the law to sell body parts, so we did the right thing in our state to just make sure they're complying with the law."
The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates issued a statement Wednesday denying any violation of the law, pointing out that it does not have a tissue donation programme in the state. It also denied the accusation that it had performed unlicensed second-trimester abortions.
