In a crushing blow to Planned Parenthood’s chapters in Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has defunded the abortion giant.
Haslam signed legislation on Wednesday that would prevent Planned Parenthood, along with other abortion providers, from receiving health care subsidies from TennCare, the state’s Medicaid affiliate.
The ban, which passed by significant majorities in both the state house and senate, will come into effect ten days after Tennessee officially secures its Medicaid waiver.
Planned Parenthood has just four clinics in Tennessee, but they received nearly $1 million from TennCare over the past six years.
While Planned Parenthood slammed the decision as being bad for women’s health, Haslam’s spokesperson Jennifer Donnals offered a bristling rebuke.
“The governor … deferred to the will of the legislature on this bill as amended, and after reviewing the bill in its final form decided to sign the bill into law,” Donnals said.