How Governor Jay Nixon’s administration will respond to the state legislature cutting money for Planned Parenthood out of the state budget will be known in the next few days.
Governor Jay Nixon (photo; Mike Lear, Missourinet)
Nixon told reporters, “Obviously we’ve got to get that done between now and the end of the fiscal year so you’re going to hear from me very quickly about what we’re going to do there. We’re finally finishing up what we’re going to order and how it’s going to be executed.”
Republican budget leaders rejected 8.3-million federal Medicaid dollars, part of which must by federal law go to Planned Parenthood. That allowed the state to not send 380-thousand tax dollars to the 13 Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri.
Nixon could be preparing to shift money within the budget to continue providing some to Planned Parenthood.
Republicans said many Missourians don’t want tax dollars going to agencies that perform abortions. Democrats said the move was a waste of tax money that will hurt healthcare offered at Planned Parenthood clinics.