Two Arizona Planned Parenthood Officials Resign From State Women's Health Commission

In a letter last week to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R), Planned Parenthood Arizona Chair Candace Lew and the organization's President and CEO Bryan Howard announced that they are resigning from the Governor's Commission on Women's and Children's Health, the Arizona Republic reports. The 23-member panel was created under former Gov. Jane Hull (R) to improve the health of women and children in the state and reduce health care costs.

According to Lew and Howard, the Brewer administration's recent policies on family planning, sex education and abortion have been influenced by political considerations, which in turn have undermined the commission's objectives and endangered public health. They wrote, "We cannot continue -- through our participation in the commission -- to endorse" the numerous policy positions the Brewer administration has taken that "endanger women's health," adding, "Since you've taken office it has become clear that political priorities outweigh women's health priorities."

Lew and Howard also said that Brewer has ignored Planned Parenthood and repeatedly declined its requests to meet with her since she took office. They also criticized the governor's enactment this year of strict antiabortion regulations, including a 24-hour waiting period and a requirement for minors to first have written, notarized consent from a parent or guardian. Lew and Howard also criticized Brewer's acceptance of more than $1 million in federal grant funding for abstinence-only education in schools, while withdrawing a state Department of Health Services agreement with Planned Parenthood that promoted testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Paul Senseman, a spokesperson for Brewer, rejected the suggestion that the governor's actions are politically motivated. He said, "The governor -- both in actions and what she has stated in her goals -- has demonstrated a commitment to women's health and state services that can continue to provide for those women who are at risk." He said that he does not have any information about the alleged broken agreement between the state health department and Planned Parenthood, adding that Brewer was "very pleased that the state of Arizona applied for and was granted $1 million from the Obama administration for abstinence funding" (Benson, Arizona Republic, 8/2).


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