The Ohio Senate passed a bill 23-10 Wednesday that would eliminate $1.3 million worth of federal and state funding for Planned Parenthood clinics.

Supporters of the bill, which now heads to a vote in the Ohio house, take issue with videos released by anti-abortion group, the Center for Medical Progress, that allegedly show Planned Parenthood executives discussing the illegal sale of aborted fetal tissue.

There is no evidence of this practice taking place in Ohio, and on the national stage, officials said the videos have been deceptively edited.

Abortions make up only three percent of the services Planned Parenthood provides, according to its annual report, and only three of the 28 clinics in Ohio perform abortions.

Technically, the bill does not target Planned Parenthood because it only prevents funding for HIV screenings and cervical and breast cancer programs from going to organizations that perform abortions. However, because Planned Parenthood is an abortion-performing organization, the bill directly targets it.

Planned Parenthood does so much more than just perform abortions. It distributes condoms and birth control, performs cancer screenings, tests for sexually transmitted diseases and provides health care to women and men alike.

We believe Planned Parenthood should not lose its funding because it is a low-cost medical provider that administers help to people, including students, who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Planned Parenthood is not a synonym for abortion clinic, and it should not lose its funding for a service that makes up only three percent of what it does. 

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of The Kent Stater editorial board, whose names are listed above.