Planned
Parenthood files federal lawsuit against Ohio health department
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[December 14, 2015]
By Kim Palmer
CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Attorneys for
Planned Parenthood sued Ohio on Sunday, asking a judge to block what it
argues is an attempt by the state's top attorney to stop the
organization from providing abortion services, court filings showed.
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The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Cincinnati on behalf of
three Planned Parenthood locations where abortions are performed, is
seeking a restraining order and a preliminary injunction against the
state of Ohio.
It comes two days after Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, a
Republican, said he would file his own injunction to block those
facilities from sending fetal remains to companies that then
disposed of them in landfills. DeWine said doing so violated state
administrative rules.
"The state is now claiming that Planned Parenthood is in violation
of this regulation, despite the fact that for decades, Planned
Parenthood has followed these regulations and has never been cited
by the state for violation," Ohio Planned Parenthood President
Stephanie Kight said on Sunday.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Dec/14/images/ads/current/gives_you_more_bch_040314.png) Kight said her group disposed of fetal tissue the same way as other
healthcare providers and that DeWine's proposed action was
discriminatory and violated the organization's right to due process
and equal protection under the law.
She added that the Ohio Department of Health had inspected Planned
Parenthood's health centers annually for the past decade, and at no
time raised concerns about the disposal practices.
The attorney general's office began an investigation five months ago
after an anti-abortion group released videos it said showed Planned
Parenthood officials negotiating prices for fetal tissue.
Planned Parenthood, which provides health services to millions of
women and says abortions make up just 3 percent of its work, has
denied wrongdoing.
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DeWine said the investigation found no evidence that Ohio Planned
Parenthood sold fetal tissue but that his office discovered that
some "fetuses" were disposed of in landfills while other remains
were incinerated.
"I don't think most Ohioans believe this is a proper disposal, a
humane disposal," DeWine told reporters on Friday.
Planned Parenthood said one of its vendors in Ohio canceled its
contract with the organization after DeWine's comments, but another
licensed medical removal company took over the contract.
(Reporting by Kim Palmer in Cleveland; Editing by Eric M. Johnson
and Peter Cooney)
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