Iowa bill that could cut funding from Planned Parenthood moves forward

DES MOINES - Hundreds of protesters failed to sway an Iowa Senate subcommittee from moving forward a bill Tuesday that would restructure how family planning dollars are doled out to health care providers.

Senate File 2 would discontinue a federal Medicaid waiver that provides millions of dollars in funding to family planning agencies across the state. It instead would create a new state-funded program that would exclude facilities that provide abortions from receiving the funds.

To cover the program, the state would shift money in a Social Services block grant to fund the family planning services - the grant pays for a variety of state programs, including child and family services and special services for disabled Iowans.

Last year, more than 12,000 Iowans received services, including Pap smears, birth control and cancer screenings, through the waiver. No state or federal dollars are used to fund abortions.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland supporters, the majority of which were wearing pink, filled the capitol, holding signs and chanting throughout the rotunda. The committee meeting room was standing room only as supporters flowed out into the hallway.

'Iowa will see teen pregnancy rates rise as teenagers face a dilemma of finding birth control in their hometowns as they may be afraid to go to clinics where someone will recognize them. The rates of (sexually transmitted infections) will rise,” said Suzanna de Baca, the Planned Parenthood's president and chief executive officer.

She presented the three senators on the judiciary subcommittee with a petition that had more than 5,200 signatures on it.

'We are watching what you as leaders will do in this state,” she added. 'We will not back down from this fight - too much is at stake for the health of Iowans.”

While the majority of the occupants in the room opposed the bill, there were plenty present to speak out in support of it, including leaders of Iowa's anti-abortion organizations, Informed Choices Iowa - privately funded women's health clinics - and other anti-abortion advocates.

Jenifer Bowen, with Iowa Right to Life, said the bill would be an opportunity to provide women with more health care choices. She added that a recently formed coalition of 13 anti-abortion groups across the state - including the Family Leader and Iowans for Life - have come out in support of the legislation.

But Dr. Lisa Banitt, an Ames-based OB-GYN and contract employee of Planned Parenthood, said if the state wants to continue to see its abortion rate decline, it should continue to fund organizations such as Planned Parenthood that provide birth control and family planning services.

Citing a new Guttmacher Institute report, Banitt said that between 2011 and 2014 the number of abortions in Iowa fell 23 percent, from 5,640 in 2011 to 4,380 in 2014. This drop happened without legislation restricting abortion access in Iowa, she added, and instead took place because there was greater access to birth control.

'Why disrupt a system that is clearly working well at reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies?” Banitt asked.

At the end of the 30-minute meeting, the bill was recommended to move forward for passage. It now will go to a full Senate Judiciary Committee.

l Comments: (319) 398-8331; chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com