JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Planned Parenthood is suing Mississippi over a new state law that will ban Medicaid from spending money with any abortion provider.
Records show that from July 2013 to August 2015, Mississippi Medicaid spent $439 with Planned Parenthood. The state could easily spend more than that to defend itself in the lawsuit.
The suit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Jackson by Planned Parenthood Southeast, which is based in Georgia and runs a clinic in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and by Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region.
The lawsuit says the Hattiesburg clinic doesn't offer abortions, but clinics run by the Southeast affiliate in other states do. Abortions are available at the Memphis clinic, which recently started accepting Mississippi Medicaid payments.
Senate Bill 2238 is set to become law July 1.
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