Fighting to Stop Congress’ and Trump Administration’s Illegal Crusade Against Essential Reproductive Healthcare: Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit over “Defund Provision”

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today sued the Trump Administration over the sweeping budget reconciliation law (“Big Beautiful Bill”), specifically the “Defund Provision,” signed by President Donald Trump this month. This provision, which targets Planned Parenthood, is a direct attack on the healthcare access of millions of low-income Americans, disproportionally affecting women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color. This provision specifically blocks Medicaid reimbursements for essential healthcare services, such as cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing, at Planned Parenthood health centers. Attorney General Bonta, co-leading a coalition of 22 attorneys general and one governor, asks the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing this devastating and unlawful provision, which will lead to widespread disruptions in preventative care and increase healthcare costs, if allowed to stand. They also assert that the states should not be co-opted into executing this unconstitutional provision. 

“Let me be clear: Federal funds don't pay for abortions. This provision is purely retaliation against Planned Parenthood for its constitutionally protected advocacy for abortion care. The President and Congress are implementing a cruel, backdoor abortion ban through this provision, putting their political agendas over people’s lives,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This will wreak havoc on healthcare services from cancer screenings to STI testing for millions of Americans who have nowhere else to turn. California will continue to lead as a reproductive freedom state — and we will be there every single time the federal administration tries to strip away your healthcare rights and ignore the rule of law.”

“PPAC is grateful for the support of California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general to ensure that patients who rely on Medicaid can continue to access the full range of sexual and reproductive health care services at Planned Parenthood health centers. The Defund Provision is a direct attack by the Trump administration and the GOP-led Congress on not only Planned Parenthood, but also on Reproductive Freedom States like California, where we value and prioritize access to reproductive health care,” said Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California CEO and President Jodi Hicks. “Planned Parenthood health centers are a critical part of reproductive health care access in California, which is why the impacts of this federal defund will reverberate throughout the state – cutting off access to live-saving health care services for our most vulnerable communities. Despite the challenges we face, PPAC will continue to fight back against this unjust defund, and work with our state leaders to ensure that every Californian can access the care they need, when they need it, no matter what.”

The “Big Beautiful Bill,” is a sweeping Republican-led law signed by the President last month. Among its many provisions, one of the most detrimental sections is a clause that blocks federal Medicaid funding for essential medical services such as cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, and wellness exams provided at Planned Parenthood health centers. Defunding Planned Parenthood threatens at least 200 health centers nationwide, affecting healthcare for more than 1.1 million people, many of whom are unlikely to be able to receive care elsewhere. Despite claims by Republican lawmakers that other healthcare centers can absorb these patients, recent findings from the Guttmacher Institute indicate that alternative locations do not have the capacity to serve the number of Americans who currently rely on Planned Parenthood for their healthcare.

Planned Parenthood Federation of American filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the prohibited Medicaid reimbursements. But last week, following the expiration of a temporary restraining order enjoining the Defund Provision, most Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide became cut off from Medicaid funding. In California, Planned Parenthood, which is the largest abortion provider in the state, lost all $300 million of its federal funding. This decision jeopardized the stability of the Planned Parenthood network in California, threatening its ability to continue operating 109 clinics, serving about 700,000 patients each year. Already, five Planned Parenthood clinics were forced to close their doors last week. Nearly 80% of those patients use Medi-Cal, the state version of the federal Medicaid program for people with low incomes or disabilities. While yesterday the court granted Planned Parenthood’s injunction in full, concluding that the Defund Provision violates the First Amendment and Equal Protection clause, as well as the prohibition on Bills of Attainder in the U.S. Constitution, the attorneys general remain committed to ensuring full relief.

In today’s filing, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the Defund Provision, which prohibits Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood, is impermissibly ambiguous and violates Congress’ Spending Clause power. They highlight that the provision is likely to increase health risks, including delayed diagnoses of STIs and cancer and increased unintended pregnancies, which will result not only in widespread and devastating effects on the health of our most vulnerable residents, but also increased costs of $30 million over the next five years and $52 million over the next ten years in Medicaid programs. The coalition urges the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the provision in order to prevent the tremendous harm this will have on public health and welfare of their states, as well as the increased costs to the states. 

In filing the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta along with the attorneys general of Connecticut and New York, lead the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the state of Pennslyvania. 

A copy of the lawsuit is available here.