Posted on 01/12/2020 11:52:54 PM PST by Morgana
Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas have been told they can no longer receive charitable donations directly from state employee paychecks.
For at least the past decade, state employees could donate to the chain of women’s health care clinics through the State Employee Charitable Campaign, which automatically deducts the money from their paychecks.
Officials with the campaign asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton if Senate Bill 22, which prohibits local governments from contracting with abortion providers or their affiliates, disqualifies Planned Parenthood from getting donations.
Last week, Paxton said yes.
In his opinion, he wrote that state law “prohibits the State Employee Charitable Campaign and its Policy Committee from entering into a taxpayer resource transaction with an abortion provider or an affiliate of an abortion provider.” He said the program “constitutes a taxpayer resource transaction.”
Sarah Wheat, chief external affairs officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas in Austin, said her organization was notified by the State Employee Charitable Campaign on Friday that they are ineligible for the program moving forward.
“We are concerned that this is a huge overreach on the part of Attorney General Paxton," Wheat said, "and it follows year after year of statewide elected officials trying to find new ways to block resources and funding for Planned Parenthood health centers and essential health care and education services."
Dan Quinn, a spokesperson with the Texas Freedom Network, said Paxton's opinion is on shaky legal ground.
“It certainly raises First Amendment concerns here,” he said. “The state has no business regulating the charitable decisions employees make with their own money.”
(Excerpt) Read more at kut.org ...
What is stopping the State Employee from writing a check and/or using a personal credit card to donate?
they can now it’s not their tax dollars supporting it
Texas should be very thankful for Paxton .....and Governor Abbott
I’ve met Greg Abbott, he’s the nicest man on the planet.
The comptroller’s office should never have been involved in these deductions. How much is this extra step in the paychecks costing taxpayers?
He seems real.....and genuine!
I feel the same about Mark Meadows......Western North Carolina ( his district) love him.....
He has always been there for them.
I met him.....he is unassuming, personable....NOT a politician personality
Very accessible!
Governor Abbott is trying to save Texas!,
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