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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The latest on a ruling allowing Utah to cut funds to a Planned Parenthood chapter while the organization continues its lawsuit (all times local):
3: 15 p.m.
Utah will keep sending money to the state Planned Parenthood chapter though the end of 2015 despite a judge's ruling Tuesday allowing it to temporarily block the funds.
Utah Department of Health spokesman Tom Hudachko says contracts for sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs will run through Dec. 31.
After a judge in October temporarily ordered Utah to keep the Planned Parenthood programs in place, the state said the programs would continue through the year.
U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups on Tuesday reversed that order, allowing Utah to end the programs while Planned Parenthood's lawsuit against the state continues.
The state's Republican governor sought to end $275,000 in contracts following the release of secretly recorded videos showing Planned Parenthood officials in other states discussing tissue donations.
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1 p.m.
A lawyer for the national Planned Parenthood association says a judge's ruling Tuesday allowing Utah to block funds to the organization is "a bit of an outlier."
The organization has sued Utah and other states that want to cut funds to Planned Parenthood following the release of secretly recorded videos showing officials in other states discussing tissue donations.
While other states have targeted Medicaid funding, Utah's Republican governor instead sought to end $275,000 in contracts for sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs with the Utah Planned Parenthood branch.
Helene Krasnoff, a lawyer with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says judges in other state lawsuits have thus far ruled in favor of the organization.
She says while the legal arguments are different, Utah's action is as politically motivated as moves by other states and will likewise harm women's health.
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11:40 a.m.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says he appreciates a federal judge's ruling upholding his order to cut off federal funds to the state branch of Planned Parenthood.
The Republican said Tuesday that the ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups recognizes the governor's power to make contract decisions on Utah's behalf. His ruling allows Utah to cut off funds to Planned Parenthood while the organization pursues its lawsuit against the state.
The judge's ruling temporarily upholds Herbert's order to end $275,000 in contracts for sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs with the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah.
The governor's order followed the release of secretly recorded videos by an anti-abortion group showing Planned Parenthood officials in other states discussing fetal tissue from abortions.
Planned Parenthood argued Herbert's order was unconstitutional, but Waddoups says the organization has not proved that its rights have been infringed.
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11:25 a.m.
The Utah branch of Planned Parenthood says it's regrettable that a judge will allow the state to cut off funds to the organization following the release of secretly recorded videos by an anti-abortion group.
Karrie Galloway, the CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, says attorneys are reviewing possible next steps. Galloway says the organization is still pursuing its lawsuit against Utah over blocked federal funds.
The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups temporarily upholds Republican Gov. Gary Herbert's order to end $275,000 in contracts for sex education and sexually transmitted disease testing programs.
It reverses an emergency order Waddoups issued in October ordering the money keep flowing to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood argued Herbert's order was unconstitutional but Waddoups says the organization has not proved that its rights have been infringed.
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