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NASHVILLE — Diverting state funds from privately run Planned Parenthood is again part of legislation proposed by Tennessee Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and several other Republican lawmakers.

The measure, SB0470, announced Wednesday would require the state Health Department to try to award contracts to public clinics before seeking out private entities such as Planned Parenthood, which supports abortion.

Similar GOP-supported legislation has died before. Republicans said this proposal is prompted by a video on the Internet that shows an allegedly impregnated 14-year-old being coached by a Planned Parenthood counselor in Memphis to lie about the age of her boyfriend to avoid legal scrutiny.

"We thought about bringing this up next year," said Ramsey, of Blountville. "But because of what's happened here, now is the time to bring SB0470 forward."

Barry Chase, president of Planned Parenthood in Memphis, said the video is "highly edited" and is being investigated.

"We have written the Web site and asked for the full unedited video tape, so we can figure out what happened," he said.

As for the legislation, he thinks it's a bad idea.

"It would be terrible for the women in the state of Tennessee if we are not funded for family planning," Chase said. "Last year, Planned Parenthood in Tennessee had over 23,000 visits. I don't know where those women would go if it wasn't for Planned Parenthood."

Planned Parenthood currents gets $1.2 million

Currently, the organization receives about $1.2 million that's divided among Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee and Memphis Regional Planned Parenthood, which receives about $720,000.

None of the money that the group receives from the state can be used for abortions, but it does help subsidize birth control and other reproductive health care.

"What we're trying to do is stop abortions by helping women plan their fertility," Chase said.

Sen. Jack Johnson, a Franklin Republican and the bill's main sponsor, said the intention of the proposal is not to completely shut off funding to Planned Parenthood, but rather use it as a "provider of last resort."

"This is not an issue of pro-choice or pro-life, it's about doing what's right," he said.

State Health Department spokeswoman Andrea Turner said she has not yet seen the video, but that the department does "not ... support any inappropriate or improper illegal conduct or behavior on behalf of any contractor of the department."

Turner said Planned Parenthood has been beneficial in addressing the demand for service in Davidson and Shelby counties.

"While we've not had a lot of time to examine the legislation, we sincerely hope that this won't preclude us from providing services to the individuals who need them," she said.

Copyright 2009, The Associated Press.