On Tuesday, an Arizona Senate Panel voted 4-3 in favor of advancing a bill which would allow organizations which break certain laws to be disqualified from receiving federal and state tax dollars.
House Bill 2599 states that organizations caught engaging in fraud, unlawful disposal of medical waste, or neglect of a patient that results in death or injury, can be removed from Medicaid funding or family planning services. The legislation would also remove any provider from Medicaid which did not “segregate taxpayer dollars from abortions.”
State Rep. Justin Olson said HB 2599 does not target any specific provider, but rather ensures that abortion providers comply with already existing laws. “You will need to segregate the taxpayers’ dollars you do receive from the abortions that you provide so it is clear that you are following the law and are not using those taxpayers’ dollars to fund an abortion,” said Olson.
Interestingly, if Planned Parenthood does not engage in fraud, unlawful disposal of medical waste, or neglect of a patient resulting in death or injury, and if they truly do separate taxpayer funding from abortions as they claim, they shouldn’t be concerned about HB 2599.
