New Jersey will provide $9.5 million more in state taxpayer money to family-planning clinics such as Planned Parenthood to make up for federal funding they forfeited by opposing a controversial abortion rule from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a bill into law that immediately allocates the funding for the current fiscal year — which he said will help clinics across the state provide health services for tens of thousands of New Jerseyans.
Last summer, Trump’s administration introduced a rule barring clinics that receive federal aid from telling patients where they can get an abortion.
In response, Planned Parenthood announced it was withdrawing from the federal Title X program, which provides $8.8 million in funding to women’s health and family-planning centers in New Jersey.
About 100,000 residents in the state — largely women — use such clinics. Of those, about 77,000 use Planned Parenthood.
The rule was one of many steps the Trump administration has made to restrict access to abortion, a key issue for many of conservative Christian voters who support the Republican president.
Murphy, a Democrat who often opposes Trump, said the president “made a conscious decision to block women from vital information critical to their health.”
“Planned Parenthood made a conscious decision to continuing providing vital information to their patients, knowing it would cost them much-needed federal funds,” Murphy, dressed in a pink tie, pocket square, and socks to match the color of Planned Parenthood’s logos, said before signing the law at his office in Trenton.
“And today, we’re making a conscious decision to stand with Planned Parenthood and with all who stand for reproductive rights, and to stop President Trump from harming our fellow New Jerseyans,” the governor added.
This law (A5802) allocates money in the current state budget that runs through June 30, to replace federal funds the New Jersey clinics gave up. The state Department of Health is in charge of disbursing the funds.
The Democratic-sponsored bill passed the Democratic-controlled state Legislature along party lines late last year. The state Senate approved it 25-15 and the state Assembly 49-21 with one abstention.
For the additional aid to continue after July 1, the governor and Legislature would have to allocate the funds again in the next state budget.
Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver noted that Planned Parenthood clinics focus on much more than abortion, providing family planning, cancer screenings, and other health-care services — largely to low-income women but also to some men.
“Women’s health care and reproductive rights are not just the ‘A word,’” Oliver said. “We cannot have a group of men in Washington, D.C. … make determinations about women having access to the care they need.”
Murphy and Democratic state lawmakers have long been supporters of Planned Parenthood. In 2018, they restored $7.5 million in the state budget after eight years of it being cut by former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican. It was the first the first bill Murphy signed into law after succeeding Christie.
Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, criticized the new law Murphy signed Thursday, calling it “a disgraceful money grab” by the governor and lawmakers to use tax dollars help a group that supports Democrats in elections.
“The taxpayers of New Jersey should not be forced to fund abortion — and make no mistake, that is what this bill will do,” Tasy added.
Meanwhile, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a sponsor of the legislation, praised Murphy for signing it. But Sweeney, D-Gloucester, also criticized the governor — a frequent rival — for continuing to freeze other money in the state budget, including funding for a program fighting cancer.
Murphy signed an executive order last year freezing $235 million in the budget to make sure revenue projections pan out. Sweeney slammed the move, saying it largely hurt South Jersey, the region he represents.
The governor has since released $114 million. But Sweeney suggested Thursday that Murphy is being hypocritical by providing more funding for women’s health services while still withholding money for cancer patients.
“The women of New Jersey deserve the best health care that Planned Parenthood and other clinics can provide, just as cancer patients seeking services in South Jersey do,” Sweeney said in a statement.
Murphy’s administration stressed there are no plans to put the new $9.5 million for family planning in reserve.
Abortion - Abortion Clinics, Abortion Pill, Abortion Information 
January 9, 2020 at 4:37 pm
That is going to save the State of New Jersey some $40 million dollars annually henceforth. Smart thinking on the governor’s part!
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January 10, 2020 at 5:21 am
Chuck, think how much more Murph could save if he paid PP to kill all, not just some, young people.
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