The Arizona Senate has given initial approval to a bill opponents say is designed to make it easier to cut off Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood Arizona and other abortion providers.
House Bill 2599 passed on a voice vote Tuesday and awaits a formal vote. The House passed the bill last month with only Republicans in support.
The bill allows the state to cut off funding and revoke licenses for providers that fail to segregate taxpayer money from funds used to provide abortions. They also could lose funding if they violate medical waste rules or submit a claim for abortion-related procedures.
Planned Parenthood says Republican Rep. Justin Olson's bill revives elements of a court-blocked 2012 law.
Olson says he wants enforcement mechanisms to ensure taxpayers aren't paying for abortions
