The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that South Carolina can exclude Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid funding.
The significant legal decision, split at 6-3, overturns a prior decision and supports the state’s stance against Planned Parenthood’s claim of federal law violations, as Breitbart reports.
The ruling stems from a 2018 executive order signed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds.
This prompted legal action from Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and a Medicaid patient, who argued that the order infringed upon federal law by restricting patients’ rights to select qualified healthcare providers.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, dismissed Planned Parenthood’s argument regarding Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871.
He asserted that this section allows private plaintiffs to sue only in “atypical” circumstances where a statutory right is “clearly” and “unambiguously” designated for individuals.
In contrast, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, dissented against the ruling. Justice Jackson argued that Section 1983 traditionally enables any citizen to seek redress for violations of constitutional or federal statutory rights.
South Carolina’s efforts to sever Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood align with the state’s legislation to prohibit