Republican governors in different states announced a cutoff of Medicaid funds to clinics of Planned Parenthood after the group’s officials were secretly recorded discussing how fetal tissue can be used for medical research. But now this step of republican governors has raised question whether they are permitted to do so under federal law or not.

Medicaid pays funds for health care of the poor, and says that every individual can visit any provider who is qualified to perform the service. In Louisiana, about 5,000 low-income women rely on Planned Parenthood clinics in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, which offer birth control, pregnancy testing and other medical screenings, but no abortions.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on August 3 said in a statement that he would cancel the state’s contract with the two Planned Parenthood clinics. He also mentioned that after hearing the discussion about harvesting of organs from aborted babies, he was determined to take an action, despite the fact that the two clinics in his state do not perform abortions.

“Planned Parenthood does not represent values of people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life. Their patients can go elsewhere because Planned Parenthood is just one of many providers in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas”, he said.

Shortly after the announcement of Louisiana Gov., governors in Alabama, Arkansas and Utah also made announcements saying that similar actions will be taken against the group’s clinics in their respective states.

Although Planned Parenthood performs abortions in those states, it does not donate fetal tissue for medical research in any of the four states.

Sara Rosenbaum, a health law expert at George Washington University, said Planned Parenthood patients can sue in court and can seek a judicial order to block the states from the money cutoff.