After court discussions regarding the federal litigation filed by Planned Parenthood, the Ohio Department of Health agreed to not enforce the 'humane disposal' section of the Ohio Administrative Code.
Planned Parenthood filed the litigation on Dec. 13 after Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's investigation into the group's affiliates found no evidence that Planned Parenthood made money from aborted fetuses, but the report instead criticized the facilities for disposing of fetal remains in landfills.
Planned Parenthood called the alleged wrongdoing "inflammatory." The organization said it follows Ohio law and handles medical tissue disposal in line with other health care providers.
The lawsuit accused Ohio's health department of changing the interpretation of the fetal tissue disposal rule without notice and then unfairly targeting Planned Parenthood, violating its due process and equal protection rights.
The Attorney General's office said the Department of Health and the Ohio General Assembly will work to further clarify humane procedures in the Ohio Revised and Administrative Codes.
DeWine issued the following statement Friday:
“Today’s action reflects both the judge’s ruling Monday and the stated intentions of the Ohio General Assembly to further clarify humane procedures for disposing of aborted fetuses. In addition, Planned Parenthood has stated publically it no longer contracts with a vendor that autoclaves fetuses before sending them to a Kentucky landfill. I am very pleased that the General Assembly intends to establish clear standards which ensure that gruesome practice does not continue in Ohio.”
