Bill ties AG budget to family planning restrictions

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's attorney general could lose money from his office budget if he loses court cases involving a state ban on family planning money from going to abortion-provider Planned Parenthood.

The budget amendment, passed late Thursday night by anti-abortion lawmakers, is the latest in a long-running battle over family planning funding.

Some lawmakers have been upset that Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon has not always defended their position.

Nixon's office declined to comment Friday about the budget amendment.

The legislature's anti-abortion majority has tried for years to prohibit family planning money from going to Planned Parenthood by inserting restrictive language in the funding bill for the state Department of Health.

Under the House budget amendment, which still must go before the Senate, Nixon's office would have to pay any potential court-ordered judgments in any of several lawsuits involving Planned Parenthood and family planning funds.