Planned Parenthood Condemns New Law that Defunds Family Planning Providers

BOISE — Today, Governor Brad Little signed House Bill 220 into law, a bill that will have immediate consequences because it restricts access to family planning providers in the state. The bill purports to stop public funding streams and business affiliations with health care clinics that provide abortion.

As a leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates (PPAA) opposes this bill.

Statement from Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, Idaho State Director for PPAA:

“We condemn the actions of this legislature and its fixation with restricting access to health care. Furthermore, we condemn Gov. Little for signing the bill into law and disregarding Idahoans’ freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions. This bill is dangerous and short sighted and will have impacts on people’s ability to access preventive health care. Access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and wellness exams are less available to Idahoans.

“It is shameful that the Idaho politicians remain focused on stripping away access to health care and undermining our state’s positive public health outcomes, even in a pandemic. This law further endangers access to essential reproductive health care for Idahoans who already face the greatest barriers to care, including people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ people, and people in rural communities.

“Planned Parenthood is dismayed that Gov. Little chose to sign off on the legislature’s exasperating decision to limit health care options during a pandemic rather than focus on providing the people of Idaho with the resources we need to recover quickly.”

HB 220 will negatively impact public health:

Idaho has seen a jump in sexually transmitted infections in recent years with gonorrhea and chlamydia most prevalent. Planned Parenthood in Idaho offers testing and treatment for most infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. In 2020, we administered 17,019 tests to people in Idaho.
LGBTQ communities are particularly vulnerable to both the economic and health impacts of COVID-19 and have had to delay their health care. In 2020, we had more than 400 visits to our health centers to access gender affirming hormone care.
In 2020, Planned Parenthood saw 9,225 people in Idaho for a range of preventive family planning services.

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Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, Serving AK, HI, ID, IN, KY, WA (PPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization educating residents and policymakers about reproductive health issues in Alaska, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky and Washington. PPAA lobbies and educates to advance Planned Parenthood's mission, and engages in limited electoral activities.