Interested Third Parties File Briefs in Support of Kansas’ Petition in Planned Parenthood Fight

Topeka – Two separate briefs were filed yesterday by interested third parties – including a group of 15 states — in support of the Kansas petition to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Planned Parenthood’s receipt of Medicaid funds. The case is Andersen v. Planned Parenthood, No. 17-1340, in which Kansas, through KDHE Secretary Jeff Andersen, sought U.S. Supreme Court review of a Tenth Circuit decision that upheld a preliminary injunction in favor of Planned Parenthood, thereby blocking the Kansas effort to defund Planned Parenthood.

One amicus curiae brief was filed by a group of 15 states lead by Indiana, and also including Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A second amicus curiae brief was filed by Americans United for Life, a prominent pro-life advocacy organization. Both briefs argue that the U.S. Supreme Court should accept the Kansas case and reverse the lower court decision.

“Protecting the right to life will always be something we champion in Kansas, and we are grateful to see other states defending it as well,” said Governor Jeff Colyer. “We are hopeful the Supreme Court will reverse their decision so Kansas no longer has to use public funds for a program that is not supported by the people of our state and other states as well. We will not give up this fight.”