Planned Parenthood Texas Votes is a lobbying organization associated with the abortion advocacy network Planned Parenthood which was launched in 2014 to advocate for abortion rights and other left-leaning political priorities. ¹² It has both an Action Fund and a Political Action Committee. ³

Political advocacy

Most of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes’ engagement has focused on opposing efforts by the Texas government to defund Planned Parenthood affiliates in the state. ⁴

It also opposed a 2017 effort by Texas officials to seek over $400 million in federal Medicaid funding which Texas had not received since defunding Planned Parenthood in 2012. Since Medicaid is funded by federal and state dollars, the state had lost out on federal Medicaid dollars after it disallowed Planned Parenthood to receive Medicaid reimbursement dollars from the state. ⁵

Planned Parenthood Texas Votes opposed a measure which banned municipalities from giving abortion providers special tax and spending subsidies. The measure was eventually signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX). ⁶⁷

After Texas officials raided a number of Planned Parenthood facilities in 2015 in light of undercover videos alleging lawbreaking by senior national Planned Parenthood officials, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes Executive Director Yvonne Gutierrez said Abbott was “grandstanding” and that officials would only find “professional, compassionate and quality health care.” ⁸

Planned Parenthood Texas Votes organizes abortion advocates to visit state lawmakers. Its 2019 Planned Parenthood Texas Lobby Day took place in April. ⁹

Campaign work

The 501(c)(4) organization has engaged in significant endorsements and political donations. ¹⁰

It donated $28,800 in digital advertising to a Democrat in a 2018 state Senate race. ¹¹

It donated $1,030 to the AFL-CIO Workers Voices PAC in 2016. ¹²

It spent $2.6 million in the 2014 election cycle and received $182,080 from the political fundraising entity ActBlue. ¹³

Leadership

Yvonne Gutierrez has been Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes since its inception. She was previously in vice president roles at two different Texas Planned Parenthood affiliates. She is also engaged in abortion advocacy in the American Hispanic community. ¹⁴

In 2017, Gutierrez wrote an op-ed accusing Republicans of forcing women to suffer because of Texas’ pro-life laws in recent years under Governors Rick Perry and Greg Abbott. ¹⁵

1. Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, Who we are, Accessed August 12, 2019. http://pptexasvotes.org/who-we-are/
2. Brittney Martin, “Planned Parenthood launches new Texas-based advocacy group and PAC,” March 20, 2014. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2014/03/20/planned-parenthood-launches-new-texas-based-advocacy-group-and-pac
3. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, “Planned Parenthood launches Texas statewide advocacy organization,” March 20, 2014. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/pressroom/planned-parenthood-launches-texas-statewide-advocacy-organization
4. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, “Federal district court temporarily blocks Texas measure banning one of the safest, most common methods of second trimester abortion,” August 31, 2017. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/federal-district-court-temporarily-blocks-texas-measure-banning-one-of-the-safest-most-common-methods-of-second-trimester-abortion
5. Madlin Mekelburg, “After shunning Planned Parenthood, Texas asks feds to reinstate funding for women’s health,” May 16, 2017. Accessed August 12, 2019.

   https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2017/05/16/shunning-planned-parenthood-texas-asks-feds-reinstate-funding-womens-health

6. Sanford Nowlin, “Texas House gives preliminary OK to bill stopping cities from partnering with Planned Parenthood on health services,” May 20, 2019. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/05/20/texas-house-gives-preliminary-ok-to-bill-stopping-cities-from-partnering-with-planned-parenthood-on-health-services
7. April Siese, “Texas governor signs law banning cities and counties from doing business with abortion providers today,” June 7, 2019. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-governor-signs-law-banning-cities-and-counties-from-doing-business-with-abortion-providers-today-2019-06-07/   
8. Yvonne Gutierrez, “Statement from Yvonne Guierrez, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes,” October 22, 2015. Accessed August 12, 2019. http://pptexasvotes.org/statement-from-yvonne-gutierrez-executive-director-of-planned-parenthood-texas-votes-2/
9. Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, “2019 Planned Parenthood Texas Lobby Day,” April 11, 2019. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.regonline.com/registration/Checkin.aspx?MethodId=0&EventID=2552120
10. Vote Smart, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, Accessed August 12, 2019. https://votesmart.org/interest-group/805/planned-parenthood-texas-votes#.XVKfu-hKhPY
11. Eva-Marie Ayala, “H-E-B boss funnels big bucks to Tarrant County’s fiery Texas Senate race during last sprint,” October 31, 2018. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2018/10/31/h-e-b-boss-funnels-big-bucks-tarrant-countys-fiery-texas-senate-last-sprint
12. Open Secrets, AFL-CIO Workers Voices PAC 2016 donations, Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00484287&cycle=2016
13. Texans for Public Justice, “Texas PACs: 2-14 election cycle spending,” Accessed August 12, 2019. http://info.tpj.org/reports/pdf/PACs2014.pdf
14. Ascend PAC, Yvonne Gutierrez profile page, Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.ascendpac.com/yvonne-gutierrez
15. Yvonne Gutierrez, “Texans suffer under continued attacks on women’s health funding,” April 4, 2017. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.tribtalk.org/2017/04/04/texans-suffer-under-continued-attacks-on-womens-health-funding/