Texas won another battle against Planned Parenthood this week . A federal appeals court , on Thursday , refused to grant another hearing to the organization , a decision that stops the organization 's fight against Texas ' effort to ban state funding for Planned Parenthood affiliates . Texas Gov . Rick Perry applauded the decision , by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals . `` Today 's ruling affirms yet again that in Texas the Women 's Health Program has no obligation to fund Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform or promote abortion . In Texas we choose life , and we will immediately begin defunding all abortion affiliates to honor and uphold that choice , '' Perry said . The decision continues a legal struggle that has been going on for months . The Texas Women 's Health Program provides about 130,000 low-income women with family planning exams , related health screenings and contraception . Texas opposed government funding for Planned Parenthood clinics because the organization provides abortions . The state said in March that it was willing to give up funding from Washington and run the Women 's Health Program itself . It then adopted a rule that required clinics funded by the program to certify they do not perform abortions or are not affiliates of entities that perform abortions . In a letter to Texas officials in March , Medicaid Director Cindy Mann said the state 's decision was regrettable . It would , she said , `` prevent women enrolled in the program from receiving services from the trusted health care providers they have chosen and relied on for their care . '' Planned Parenthood sued Texas , winning an injunction against the law by arguing that abortion is constitutional and Texas ' efforts would block women 's access to preventive health care . But a federal court later ruled in favor of Texas .
Texas opposes government funding for abortion providers . It required clinics in the Women 's Health program to certify they do not perform abortions . Texas Gov . Rick Perry praised the court decision .