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. [1][2] 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). [6][7]
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]