HARRISBURG (LifeSiteNews) — The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled 4-3 Monday that a longstanding state ban on taxpayer funding of abortion violates the state constitution, in a development that will dramatically expand abortion-on-demand in the Commonwealth if allowed to stand.

Live Action reports that the court determined a ban on subsidizing abortions through the state Medicaid program that has stood since 1982 violates the Equal Rights Amendment of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.”

Writing for the majority, Judge Matthew Wolf claimed this language “guarantees a fundamental right to reproductive autonomy.”

“I am not convinced that a right to reproductive autonomy or anything like it exists in the Pennsylvania Constitution to afford anyone a constitutional right to obtain an abortion,” countered Judge Patricia McCullough for the dissent.

Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro and Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania celebrated the ruling, while pro-lifers condemned it and its ramifications. Reading such a broad “right” to abortion into the constitution could set the groundwork for invalidating other abortion restrictions, including the current 24-week cutoff point and mandatory one-day waiting period.

“Taxpayers now in Pennsylvania will have no choice under this court ruling to fund abortions,” said Pennsylvania Family Institute president Michael Geer. “And there are many, many millions of Pennsylvanians who think abortion is wrong. It’s the taking of an innocent human life and to force taxpayers who conscientiously object to abortion to then fund it is just plain wrong.”

If the ruling stands, taxpayer funds will not only fund abortions, but assist an organization that has proven itself an untrustworthy steward of the money it receives.

Last year, Pennsylvania Family Institute found that the websites of eight Planned Parenthood locations specifically advertised “Prenatal and Postpartum Services,” but the call centers for Planned Parenthood Keystone and Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania confirmed none of the locations in question offer any such prenatal care. 

“We called their facilities directly. Contrary to their advertising, not one Planned Parenthood in PA offers prenatal services. Zero,” PA Family chief strategist Dan Bartkowiak said at the time.

The office of Republican Attorney General David Sunday says it is still reviewing the decision, and has not announced whether it will appeal.