County board votes to evict Planned Parenthood health clinic

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — A county board in western Michigan has voted to evict a Planned Parenthood health clinic from the county's Department of Public Health building.

The 6-2 vote Tuesday by the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners came after a contentious hours-long meeting.

County officials say the health department needs the currently leased space for immunizations and other services. Planned Parenthood has 90 days to leave. Planned Parenthood's clinic provides general health services, physician referrals, birth control, pregnancy testing, emergency contraceptives and HIV/STD testing.

The clinic doesn't perform abortions, but some argued abortion was a key issue in the debate since Planned Parenthood offers abortion services elsewhere.

Jim Norton, a vice president of development for Planned Parenthood, said: "We should be talking about expanding health care services to the community, not shrinking them."

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