Illinois House Has Several Contraceptive Equity Proposals To Consider
Several bills seeking to improve access to contraceptive drugs and devices have been introduced in the Illinois House. The one supported by the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council and the state's affiliates would require insurance plans to provide coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices in the same manner that they cover other prescription drugs and devices. This legislation was part of the statewide Responsible Choices legislative agenda. HB 597, Parity for Contraceptive Coverage, has been approved in committee and a vote for final passage may come as early as next week.

The House also has several other contraceptive equity bills to consider. One would require equity in contraceptive coverage for state employees. That is being held in committee since HB 597 is so much more inclusive. Another would require insurers who cover Viagra to also cover contraceptive drugs and devices. This passed in the same committee meeting as HB 597. Another would require insurers to cover contraceptives if they provide pregnancy-related coverage and a final bill is very similar to HB 597. These also are being held in committee.

So-Called "Partial Birth" Abortion Bill Progresses In Arkansas
The Arkansas Senate voted 22-9 to approve a bill that would ban so-called "partial birth" abortions in the state. The Senate bill allows exceptions to safeguard the life of the woman and to protect her health. The House already has approved a bill, by a vote of 88-3, that would ban so-called "partial birth" abortions. The House bill does not allow for a health exception.

A House sponsor of the bill says he is willing to compromise in order to produce a bill that will be approved by both houses. He said he would consider a health exception if it is drawn narrowly enough so it can't be used as what he perceives as a "giant loophole," he told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The current version of the law is under federal court injunction.

Arizona Senate Approves 24-Hour Wait For Abortions
On February 22, the Arizona Senate voted to require women to wait 24 hours after receiving state mandated information before obtaining an abortion. The original bill required that the information be provided in person by the doctor who was to perform the abortion. However, proponents of the measure agreed to a change that would allow it to be provided by phone or mail.

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

Indiana Senate Approves Abortion Clinic Regulations
The Indiana Senate voted 35-13 for a bill that would require abortion clinics to adhere to the same staffing and structural standards required for outpatient surgical centers. Delbert Culp, CEO of PP of Central and Southern Indiana expects several of the state's 11 clinics that provide abortions to close if the bill becomes law.

The bill now goes to the House, where an Associated Press story reports, positions on abortion are more polarized, and passage is far from assured.

Illinois Bill would Have State Enforce Other States' Minors' Restrictions
A bill filed in the Illinois House would make it a class 4 felony for anyone to perform an abortion on a minor from out-of-state unless the resident state's parental involvement laws have been followed. Doctors violating the law would be subject to from one to three years in prison. The young woman who crossed state lines also could face one to three years in prison if it were proved that she came to Illinois to evade her state's parental involvement laws.

"We are the only state in a sea of states that all have consent and notification laws," said Pamela Sutherland, CEO of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council. The state legislature passed a parental consent law in 1995, but it has been enjoined by the courts.

Hearings Held On Kansas Parental Consent Bill
A hearing has been held in the Kansas House on a bill that would require minors to obtain the consent of a parent prior to obtaining an abortion. The bill provides for a judicial waiver if a court finds that the minor is mature enough to make the decision on her own or the abortion is in her best interest. Current Kansas law requires that a parent or guardian be notified before a minor can obtain an abortion. Several legislators on both sides of the issue questioned whether or not the change from notification to consent would accomplish anything.

The bill also requires the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to compile statistics on the number of judicial waivers granted in the state.

ACLU Challenges Kentucky Waiting Period
The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit in federal court challenging the Kentucky law that requires a woman to wait 24 hours after receiving state-mandated information. The suit maintains that the law creates an undue burden for women in this predominantly rural state, because the only providers in the state are located in Lexington and Louisville.

The law was enacted last year, but has not been enforced to date because the state has yet to develop the mandated materials to provide to the women. The state informed the court that it would not have the materials available at least until mid-May or June and that they would not enforce any portion of the law until the materials were available. The suit asks that the state be enjoined from enforcing the law while the suit progresses, but no action will be taken on that request until a hearing scheduled for May 6th.

The lead counsel in the case in Kim Green, who serves on the board of PP of Louisville.

Oregon County To Provide Free Birth Control For Low-Income Women
The Douglas County Health Department has begun a program that will provide women with income near the poverty level with access to free contraceptive and reproductive health services. To quality, a woman would have to be a U.S. citizen and resident of Oregon. Her income must be at or below 185 percent of poverty, which, in Oregon, is $1,232 a month for a single woman and $2,537 for a family of four.

A health exam, Pap smears and breast cancer screening would be provided free and she could chose to use birth control pills, a diaphragm, IUD or Depo Provera as her contraceptive method.

The health and Medicaid officials who have designed this program want to show that costs for unplanned pregnancies for Medicaid-eligible women will drop if women have better access to birth control. This, they note, could ten cut the costs of financial and other forms of assistance.

Choice To Head Florida's Health Department Draws Fire
Gov. Jeb Bush's (R) appointment of a former state legislator has drawn fire because of his strong opposition to abortion and gay rights. During his tenure in the Florida House, former Rep. Bob Brooks (R), who is a physician, was a leading proponent of legislation to require women to wait 24 hours after receiving state-mandated information before obtaining an abortion.

Jeb Bush's appointment mirrors that made by his brother Gov. George W. Bush (R-TX), who appointed anti-choice ideologue Ren Archer to head the Texas Department of Health.

Opposition Watch

Domino's Founder To Fund Election Of Anti-Choice Candidates
In an article in the February 14 issue of The New York Times, Domino's Pizza founder Thomas Monaghan said he plans "to support politicians who oppose abortion." He has sold most of his interest in the pizza company, and says he has been "inspired by the Pope," and plans to devote his life and his fortune to "spreading the Gospel, especially among the business elite. Although he is out of the pizza business, he owns a newspaper and radio stations and plans to use these media outlets to promote his agenda.

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