Tennessee has lost its ability to collect millions of dollars in family planning funds after a federal appeals court ruled against the state’s attempt to do so without complying with federal requirements to provide abortion referrals. The dispute began last year when the state’s Attorney General filed a complaint seeking to overturn a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services disqualifying Tennessee from receiving Title X funds. The Biden administration had announced that clinics receiving Title X funds must offer information about abortion, a rule Tennessee argued it could not comply with due to its abortion ban.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Tennessee could not dictate eligibility requirements for Title X funding based on its abortion ban law. The court’s decision means that the federal government will not reinstate Tennessee’s Title X funding while the lawsuit continues. Tennessee, which has been receiving around $7.1 million annually through the program, defended its policy of barring clinics from providing information on abortion options not legal in the state.
As a result of Tennessee’s non-compliance with Title X regulations, the federal government announced that the state’s funds would largely be directed to Planned Parenthood, a leading provider of abortions in the U.S. Planned Parenthood criticized Tennessee’s decision, stating that it is essential that people have access to sexual and reproductive health care services. The state’s Attorney General’s office is reviewing the court’s decision and considering next steps.
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