California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over a provision in the recently enacted budget reconciliation law, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The contested section, referred to as the “Defund Provision,” blocks Medicaid reimbursements for healthcare services at Planned Parenthood health centers. These services include cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing.
Attorney General Bonta is leading a coalition of 22 attorneys general and one governor in seeking a court injunction to stop the implementation of this provision. The group argues that it will disrupt preventative care for millions of low-income Americans, with significant impacts on women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color.
“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.”
Jodi Hicks, CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC), commented on the state’s action: “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 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 was signed into law last month by President Donald Trump after passing through Congress under Republican leadership. Among its provisions is language that prohibits federal Medicaid funding from being used at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country. According to recent findings from research organizations such as Guttmacher Institute (https://www.guttmacher.org/), other healthcare providers do not have enough capacity to absorb all patients currently served by Planned Parenthood.
Following expiration of an earlier temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of this policy, most Planned Parenthood clinics lost their Medicaid funding last week nationwide. In California alone—where nearly 80% of patients use Medi-Cal—five clinics closed due to loss of $300 million in federal funding that had supported operations at 109 sites serving approximately 700,000 patients annually.
Yesterday’s court decision granted an injunction in favor of Planned Parenthood after finding that provisions violated constitutional protections including free speech rights (First Amendment), equal protection guarantees (Equal Protection Clause), and prohibitions against Bills of Attainder under U.S. law.
In their legal filing today, Attorney General Bonta and his counterparts argue that this Medicaid prohibition violates Congressional authority under the Spending Clause because it is ambiguous about compliance requirements for states participating in Medicaid programs. They also warn that delays or disruptions in preventive care could increase risks related to undiagnosed STIs or cancers while raising costs within public insurance programs—estimated at $30 million over five years or $52 million over ten years—in states affected by these changes.
California joins Connecticut and New York as co-leads in this lawsuit along with attorneys general from Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island,Vermont , Washington , Wisconsin , District Of Columbia ,and Pennsylvania .
A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
