Senate Avoids Planned Parenthood Contempt Showdown April 22, 2016

(AP) – The Missouri Senate announced Thursday it is suspending contempt proceedings against a Planned Parenthood CEO after reaching an agreement to review some documents a legislative committee investigating the organization subpoenaed last year.
The fetal tissue disposal policies of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri will be made available along with other documents, including blank patient forms and written protocols for abortions. Republican and Democratic Senate leaders will designate people to review the documents during business hours in the office of the regional organization’s attorney, but they will not be allowed to copy them, according to the agreement.
Some documents will be available for review as soon as noon Friday, while others will take longer to produce, the agreement said. All the documents must be provided by May 9.
Senators voted last week to summon to the chamber Mary Kogut, CEO and president of the regional Planned Parenthood, to justify why she had not complied with the Senate’s subpoena and explain why she should not be held in contempt, a rare move that could carry jail time.

Kansas Medical Board Ckears Planned Parenthood on Fetal Tissue Check January 14, 2016

(AP) – Kansas’ medical board is taking no action against a Planned Parenthood clinic after completing an investigation into whether illegal sales of fetal tissue are occurring after abortions.

A State Board of Healing Arts disciplinary attorney sent a letter last week to Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri saying the board’s disciplinary staff had investigated the group’s clinic in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park.

“We absolutely feel vindicated by this,” said Planned Parenthood Director Laura McCabe.

She said the faulty was inspected three times. Twice by the Kansas Department if Health and Environment. That agency regulates the Planned Parenthood faculty.

One inspection was by the Board of Healing Arts, which regulates physicians in Kansas, according to McCabe.

The letter said “no further action will be taken at this time.” The Associated Press obtained a copy from Planned Parenthood.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback called for the investigation last year and this week ordered the state to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers have said they don’t even have programs for legal donations of fetal tissue

Brownback Cuts Off Planned Parenthood January 13, 2016

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback followed through with his promise to cut off state funding for Planned parenthood in Kansas.
Brownback sent a letter to the Secretary of Health and the Environment, Dr. Susan Mosier to cut off Planned Parenthood Kansas money.
“Direct you agency to take all necessary steps to terminate Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid Missouri and all associated medical providers from Kansas Medicaid, including KanCare”.
During Brownback’s ‘State of the State Speech Tuesday night he condemned Planned Parenthood.
“Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of baby body parts is antithetical to our belief in human dignity. No longer will we send the money of hard-working Kansans to fund an industry that disrespects life and violates the moral conscience of our people,” he said during his speech.
A Missouri Legislative investigation did not turn up any wrong doing by Planned Parenthood in that state

Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at KC Planned Parenthood Lumcheon December 14, 2015

Kathleen Sebelius and KC Planned Parenthood CEO Laura McQuade

Judges Steps In to Planned Parenthood Dispute in Columbia November 30, 2015

(AP) – A judge on Monday temporarily blocked Missouri’s health department from revoking the abortion license held by a Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia as its physician loses hospital privileges required under state law.

The clinic stopped terminating pregnancies last week, but Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of retaining its abortion facility license from the state Department of Health and Senior Services while its physician regains privileges or the clinic finds a new doctor. U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey issued her order at the end of a hearing by telephone conference call.

Laughrey’s order will remain in effect only until Wednesday to give attorneys a chance to address several legal issues. The judge scheduled another telephone conference call for Wednesday afternoon.

Missouri law requires a physician who performs abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Amid an investigation of abortion by the Republican-controlled Legislature, a University of Missouri Health Care system medical staff panel voted in September to discontinue the form of privileges granted to Planned Parenthood doctor Colleen McNicholas, effective Tuesday.

That action prompted the health department to notify Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri that the abortion facility license for its Columbia clinic would be revoked, also effective Tuesday. Missouri now has only one clinic performing abortions, in St. Louis