Shelby County OKs Planned Parenthood funding

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted 7-5 Monday to award a $115,000 contract to Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region to provide free condoms across the county.

The vote ended a politically charged, weeks-long dispute over whether the Shelby County Health Department would take over condom distribution from Planned Parenthood. The Tennessee Health Department said in a letter last week that not approving the contract would endanger $407,000 in federal HIV/AIDs prevention grants and likely result in a lawsuit.

Voting to approve the funding were commissioners Justin Ford, Eddie Jones Jr., Van Turner Jr., Melvin Burgess, Walter Bailey Jr., Willie Brooks Jr. and Reginald Milton. Voting against were Steve Basar, George Chism, David Reaves, Terry Roland and Heidi Shaffer. Commissioner Mark Billingsley, an employee of Methodist Le Bonheur, recused himself.

"I know there will be consequences if we don't," Mayor Mark Luttrell told commissioners before the vote. "Precisely what the consequences will be, I don't know. But they won't be pleasant."

Read more: http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/government/county/2017/02/06/planned-parenthood-backers-expected-commission-meeting/97547616/