Don't expand Planned Parenthood ruling, Arkansas asks judge

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The state is asking a federal judge to not expand her order blocking Arkansas' attempt to cut off Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood.

Last month, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland asked U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker to issue a new preliminary injunction to cover any current or future Medicaid patients at its health centers in the state. Baker's initial ruling blocking the defunding only applied to the three unnamed women who sued.

In a response filed Monday, the Arkansas' attorney general's office argued that Planned Parenthood hasn't shown that anyone has been forced to go to a different provider because of the defunding.

Planned Parenthood sued last year after Gov. Asa Hutchinson terminated the state's Medicaid contract with the organization over videos secretly recorded out-of-state by an anti-abortion group.

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The Gayly - 4/12/2016 @ 10:08 a.m. CDT