Legislation
Legislation is at the heart of effective reproductive health access and education. Legislative advocacy is a specialized form of advocacy, one directed at policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels.
TellThem! members have the chance to track and influence state political issues and regulations that could impact reproductive health.
The following are some of the bills related to reproductive health that were filed for the 2007 state legislative session.
Positive Legislation:
Birth Control Protection:
To counteract some of the negative bills below, we have helped to introduce the Birth Control Protection Act: H. 3739. This bill would protect the right of consenting individuals to obtain and use safe and effective contraceptives.
Cervical Cancer Prevention (TABLED):
H. 3136
Relating to HPV-Cervical Cancer Protection – This bill would require female students enrolling in seventh grade to have received the cervical cancer vaccine series.
Domestic Violence Protection:
S. 15
Relating to "Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Domestic-Violence Protection Orders Act"
H. 3058
Relating to inter-state penalties for domestic violence
Negative Legislation:
This bill further punishes pregnant women who are substance abusers rather than offering them the treatment that they need for a healthy pregnancy.
These bills have the potential to limit a woman's access to birth control. In doing so, they decrease a woman's access to critical health care and are an erosion of her basic reproductive rights.
S. 126
Relating to Pharmacy Refusal – Note: This bill has broader implications than the abortion drug, RU486. To read more, please check out our member news article on this issue.
H. 3283 – "Health Care Freedom of Conscience Act"
This bill extends the conscientious objector clause to all health care providers, even including insurance companies.
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TellThem! focuses on prevention through education and access to care. We believe we can reduce the occurrences of abortion by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies through medically accurate reproductive health education and unrestricted access to reproductive health care services. The bills listed below go beyond abortion by seeking to re-define personhood at fertilization, which could impact a woman's access to birth control. FDA approved contraceptives (birth control) can not only prevent fertilization but also implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine wall.
S.313
Right to Life Act
H. 3284
Right to Life Act
H. 3215
"Born Alive Infant Protection Act"
H. 3019
Relating to fetal personhood
H. 3329
Fetal Pain Awareness and Prevention Act
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