Washington state AG asks court to block federal restrictions on family planning

SAN FRANCISCO, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Attorney General (AG) Bob Ferguson of the U.S. state of Washington on Friday filed a motion to ask a Federal court to block restrictions imposed by the Federal government on a family planning policy.

Ferguson filed the motion to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, requesting the judge to prevent the Federal government's "gag rule" that would impact family planning services from taking effect on May 3.

The Trump administration announced in February a new policy, also known as the "gag rule," which prohibits Federally funded family planning clinics from making abortion referrals and requires such clinics to be separated from the locations of abortion providers.

"This rule is a transparent attack on Planned Parenthood that disproportionately harms low-income women in rural Washington," Ferguson said.

"It will shutter clinics that provide almost 90 percent of Title X services in Washington, jeopardizing healthcare access for tens of thousands of Washingtonians," said the Washington AG.

Title X is a Federal funding program aiming to help low-income families to have access to reproductive healthcare and family planning services.

Ferguson criticized the Trump administration's restrictive rule on Title X for inserting "politics into the doctor-patient relationship." He had filed a lawsuit against the "gag rule" on March 5.

Ferguson said if the "gag rule" is not blocked, it will leave 21 Washington counties without a Title X provider, which would force some Washingtonians to travel hundreds of miles to receive family planning care.

According to the Washington AG's Office, 91,284 patients received care through Title X in Washington state in 2017. More than half of these patients were at or below the Federal poverty line.