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4/3/2013 - Pro-Choice Activists Rally as AL Senate Passes Stricter Abortion Law
Hundreds gathered early on Tuesday in front of the Alabama Statehouse to protest HB57, a TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) bill that would impose harsher restrictions on abortion clinics and providers. The bill, coined the Women's Health and Safety Act, would require an Alabama-licensed physician be present at every abortion and would require these doctors to have admitting privileges to local hospitals. Further, the bill mandates that the name of the father be reported to authorities if the woman seeking an abortion is under the age of 16. The bill also sets stricter building requirements, including wider halls and doors and better fire suppression systems.
According to the Associated Press, several protesters insisted that the legislature is simply attempting to limit access to constitutionally guaranteed abortion treatment. Clinic owners stress that the bill may force them to close because of the expensive major building restorations that would be required.
The Senate passed the bill on a 22 to 10 vote yesterday. This follows the passage of a nearly identical bill by the Alabama House this past February. A committee will meet to reconcile the differences between the two bills before it is sent to Governor Robert Bentley, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
Following the passage of the bill, Planned Parenthood Southeast Vice President of Public Policy Nikema Williams said, "this legislation will make it harder to access health care, which will put women's health in danger."
Democratic State Senator Linda Coleman exclaimed "You don't have any business in my home, in my bedroom or in my body."
4/2/2013 - KS State Senate Poised to Pass Life at Fertilization Bill
The Kansas state Senate gave first round approval to an anti-abortion bill that would define life as beginning at the point of fertilization with a voice vote yesterday. The final vote is expected to occur today.
House Bill 2253 attacks abortion access on multiple fronts. HB 2253 requires that abortion providers supply women with a list of organizations that provide abortion alternatives, prevents any abortion facility from receiving state funding or tax credits, and requires doctors to provide patients with medically inaccurate information. The bill also defines life as beginning at the point of fertilization.
Pro-choice legislatures attempted to amend the bill to protect some access to abortion care and birth control, which some fear will be threatened with the new language. However, they all failed.
The state Senate decision will come the same week that a new abortion clinic will open in Wichita, Kansas. It will be the first provider in the city since the murder of Dr. George Tiller in 2009.
4/2/2013 - MS Governor Pulls Board of Health Nomination of Anti-Abortion Activist
Governor Phil Bryant (R) of Mississippi has rescinded his nomination of anti-abortion activist Terri Herring to the Mississippi Board of Health after media outlets questioned the legality of the nomination.
Governor Bryant announced his nomination of Terri Herring to the state's Board of Health last Wednesday. Bryant nominated her because she has "committed her life to women's health care and the right to life." Herring is a director of the Pro-Life America Network in addition to being president of the Mississippi Choose Life Advisory Committee.
Mississippi state law requires that the Board of Health must be comprised of five currently licensed physicians and six individuals with a background or interest in public health. Herring was nominated as the latter. Her appointment, if confirmed, would have a six year term. However, Mississippi law also requires that Board of Health members come from certain districts of the state - each congressional district must have two members on the Board, and one member must be from each of the Supreme Court districts. A member from Herring's district is already on the Board of Health, and there is not currently a member from the northern Supreme Court district.
After the Associated Press noticed the oversight, the Governor's office reviewed the law and decided to pull the nomination. A spokesperson for the Governor said in a statement on Monday "Although this code section is unclear, Gov. Bryant will withdraw this nomination to avoid any legal uncertainty... It is Gov. Bryant's intention to recommend Mrs. Herring for a future position on the Board of Health when there is an opening in her district."
4/2/2013 - TN Bill Would Tie Student Performance to Welfare Benefits
A bill that would cut welfare benefits if a recipient's child does not perform satisfactorily in school has advanced in committee in both the Tennessee state House and state Senate.
The bill would cut Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits for parents by 30% if a child does not show "satisfactory academic progress." "Satisfactory academic progress" will be determined by how a child is advancing through grade levels and their scores on standardized tests.
While not included in the original legislation, the bill has been amended to exclude children with learning disabilities or handicaps and to exclude children whose parents are making an effort to improve their child's school performance in various ways, including attending a "parenting class," arranging for a tutor, or attending parent teacher conferences. The bill does not apply to children who are home-schooled.
The bill must now be approved by a second committee in the state House, but can be brought directly to the floor of the state Senate.
4/1/2013 - Catholic Colleges Support BC's Ban on Condom Distribution
Catholic colleges and universities across the country are siding with Boston College's decision to discipline students who continue to distribute condoms on campus. A representative from Catholic University, Victor Nakas, said, "One of the teachings of our faith is that contraception is morally unacceptable. Since condoms are a form of contraception, we do not permit their distribution on campus." Colleges that have aligned their policies with Boston College include the University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, University of Dayton, Providence College, and the Catholic University of America.
A group of Boston College students are facing possible punishment from the college's administration for passing out condoms. The group, Safe Sites, founded a network of eighteen dorm rooms and additional spaces near the campus that provide condoms to students.
A spokesperson for the college, Jack Dunn, told students in an email that, "As a Jesuit, Catholic University, there are certain Catholic commitments that Boston College is called to uphold. We ask our students to respect these commitments, particularly as they pertain to Catholic social teaching on the sanctity of life. We recognize that, as a reflection of society at large, many students do not agree with the Church's position on these issues. However, we ask those who do not agree to be respectful of our position, and circumspect in their private affairs."
4/1/2013 - French Law Providing Free Contraception and Abortion Goes Into Effect
A French law that allows minors between the ages of fifteen and eighteen to receive free contraception from family planning centers and provides abortion without cost to patients went into effect this Sunday. The law was promised by President Francois Holland during his election campaign.
The measure covers both contraceptive pills as well as implants, which can be obtained at pharmacies with a prescription. The patch, coil and cap, and condoms are not covered by the new law. A provision of the measure prevents obtaining contraceptives from appearing on insurance statements, preserving the anonymity of the minors who choose to use contraception.
The law was intended to reduce the number of abortions in France, where there are currently approximately 12,000 abortion procedures annually. Many women were unable to afford abortions before the measure, as the average cost ranged between 200 and 450 euros.
4/1/2013 - NJ to Consider Ban on "Reparative Therapy"
A bill that would ban so-called "reparative therapy"- therapy intended to "convert" gay men and women to be heterosexual- is headed to the New Jersey Senate floor. The ban would apply to children under 18. It already passed in the state Senate's Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on a 7 to 1 vote in March.
The legislation emerges from a late 2012 lawsuit against the organization Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, which aims in part to assist gay Jewish men in obtaining so-called "reparative therapy." The four plaintiffs in the case cite being asked to perform humiliating exercises as part of therapy, for example exposing their genitals to a counselor. The lawsuit and the testimony of many other gay and transgender individuals suggests that such "reparative therapy" is harmful to psychological well-being. A former advocate of the practice, Dr. Robert Spitzer, reversed his position in May 2012. He issued an apology to the LGBT community and renounced such practices as "a waste of time and energy."
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's position on this issue is unknown. According to the New York Times, Christie "does not believe in conversion therapy," but is also "hesitant to sign a bill that effectively tells parents what they can and can't do."
3/29/2013 - Boston College Students Face Discipline for Distributing Condoms
A group of Boston College students are facing possible punishment from the university's administration for passing out condoms. The group, Safe Sites, founded a network of eighteen dorm rooms and additional spaces near the campus that provide condoms to students.
A spokesperson for the college, Jack Dunn, told students in an email that, "As a Jesuit, Catholic University, there are certain Catholic commitments that Boston College is called to uphold. We ask our students to respect these commitments, particularly as they pertain to Catholic social teaching on the sanctity of life. We recognize that, as a reflection of society at large, many students do not agree with the Church's position on these issues. However, we ask those who do not agree to be respectful of our position, and circumspect in their private affairs."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is now involved and are willing to counter with legal action if the proposed disciplinary action by the college takes place. The ACLU has called disciplinary threat "entirely inappropriate."
3/29/2013 - Alaskan Representative Employs Racial Slur
Rep. Don Young of Alaska reminisced on his childhood in Central California on a radio show earlier this week, using the term "wetbacks" to describe the migrant workers who picked tomatoes on the family farm. Young expressed minimal remorse when he was blasted for using the word, stating his belief that it didn't have a derogatory meaning when he was growing up.
This misstep comes in the wake of the "Growth and Opportunity Project", a formal report on the GOP that suggests in part that the party become more sensitive to undocumented migrants.
3/29/2013 - Pro-Life America Network Director Nominated to MS Board of Health
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (R) announced that he has nominated Terri Herring to the state's Board of Health Wednesday. Bryant nominated her because she has "committed her life to women's health care and the right to life." Herring is a director of the Pro-Life America Network in addition to being president of the Mississippi Choose Life Advisory Committee.
Mississippi state law requires that the Board of Health must be comprised of five currently licensed physicians and six individuals with a background or interest in public health. Herring was nominated as the latter. Her appointment, if confirmed, would have a six year term.
Using a state's Board of Health to control abortion regulations is a strategy that has been successful in the past. The Virginia Board of Health passed Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers (TRAP) Laws earlier this year that are harsh regulations that could force abortion providers in Virginia to meet the building codes of new hospitals or face closure. Last year, the Kansas Board of Healing Arts voted to revoke the license of abortion provider Dr. Ann Neuhaus over allegations that she did not provide adequate mental health exams on patients she referred to the late Dr. George Tiller for late abortions. Dr. Neuhaus maintains that she provided proper exams, and critics of the decision have said that the investigation and subsequent ruling were the result of anti-abortion sentiments.
3/28/2013 - Rally Against TRAP Law in Alabama
A Women's Day rally and lobby day will be held in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 2nd to address the Extreme Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) law pending in the state Senate.
The Alabama House voted 73 to 23 for TRAP law in February that would require all comprehensive women's clinic to comply with stringent, unnecessary hospital-like building requirements and would require their doctors to have local hospital admitting privileges. The goal of the legislation is to close all abortion and family planning clinics in Alabama.
The House bill has now been approved by the Senate Committee and could go to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as this coming Tuesday.
3/27/2013 - US Supreme Court Hears DOMA Case
Today, the United States Supreme Court is set to hear the second case on the topic of same sex marriage presented this week. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which states the federal government will only recognize marriage as between one man and one woman, is being argued today.
The current Obama administration has stated that it will not defend the law, though it will continue the law's enforcement. The lawsuit against DOMA was filed by plaintiff Edith Windsor of New York, married in Canada to her late partner, Thea Spyer. When Spyer died in 2009, she left her estate to her spouse. However, because the marriage was not recognized by the federal government, Windsor was forced to pay over $360,000 in federal estate taxes that she would not have owed had their marriage been federally recognized.
DOMA was first signed by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, before same sex marriage was legal in any state. Since that time, however, beginning with Massachusetts in 2003, nine states and the District of Columbia allow same sex marriages. Clinton recently came out in opposition of DOMA, encouraging the Supreme Court to overturn it.
3/27/2013 - Obama Nominates First Woman to Head Secret Service
Yesterday, President Obama announced that he will appoint Julia Pierson to direct the Secret Service. Pierson will be the first woman to lead the Secret Service in United States history.
President Obama in a statement, described Pierson, "Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own. Julia has had an exemplary career, and I know these experiences will guide her as she takes on this new challenge to lead the impressive men and women of this important agency."
Pierson currently is the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief for the United States Secret Service. She has been a Secret Service agent for over 30 years after beginning her career in Florida.
3/26/2013 - Washington May Be First State to Pass Abortion Insurance Mandate
The Washington state Senate is considering legislation that would mandate abortion insurance coverage. The recently proposed Reproductive Parity Act would require all insurance companies providing maternity care to also pay for abortions. Earlier this month, the bill passed the state House with a vote of 53-43. However, support in the Senate is less certain.
Melanie Smith, a lobbyist for NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, said "This is a core value for Washingtonians - we should protect it while we still have it and not leave access to basic health care up to an insurance company." Supporters of the insurance mandate are careful to stress that there are no anticipated spikes in abortion.
In a statement Representative Eileen Cody (D-West Seattle), the bill's lead sponsor, said "It's not expanding abortion coverage, it's ensuring the rights of women to get what they're paying for now and to continue their freedom of choice."
Opponents argue that this forces employers to cover a procedure they'd rather not deal with. Peggy O'Ban, a spokeswoman for Human Life of Washington said "Washington state would be the only state in the country that would force employers to pay for abortion... If passed," she continued, "It would amount to "the first conscience coercion act in American history."
Although proponents of the mandate insist they have the votes in the Senate, it is not clear whether the Senate will in fact allow the measure to reach the floor. The bill will go before the Senate Health Care Committee on April 1.
3/26/2013 - Proposition 8 Oral Arguments Heard in Supreme Court
Today the Supreme Court heard oral arguments weighing the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the California ban on same sex marriage.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Hollingsworth, Dennis, et al. v. Perry, Kristin M., et al. Arguments lasted for approximately an hour and twenty minutes, at which point the Supreme Court Justices appeared reluctant on making a decision. They are expected to release a full opinion in June. The Feminist Majority Foundation and the National Organization for Women (NOW) filed an amicus brief in favor of overturning Proposition 8. The brief was written by Michael Rips and Rebecca Edelson of Steptoe and Johnson, LLP. Tomorrow the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which only recognizes marriage as between one man and one woman.
Thousands of people descended on the Supreme Court to rally as part of the United for Marriage coalition of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Human Rights Campaign and other LGBT advocacy and sympathetic groups , including Terry O'Neill, President of NOW. Other speakers included couples and families impacted by the laws, allies from the sports community, and politicians.
3/26/2013 - ND Governor Signs Extreme Anti-Abortion Law to Close Only Clinic
North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple (R-ND) just signed a series of three restrictive anti-abortion rights measures into state law. All three measures were passed by the Republican-controlled North Dakota House and Senate. The North Dakota legislature also passed a Personhood state constitutional amendment, which would ban the termination of a pregnancy from the moment of conception. The Personhood Amendment will be placed on the November 2014 ballot and does not require the Governor's signature.
Governor Dalrymple signed a TRAP (Targeted Regulation Against Abortion Providers) law aimed at closing North Dakota's only remaining comprehensive reproductive health clinic, The Red River Women's Clinic. The TRAP law requires "admitting and staff privileges at a nearby hospital for any physician who performs abortion in ND." This unnecessary requirement is particularly oppressive and impossible to meet. Because of the hostile state environment and threats to doctors, providers have had to travel from outside of the state to provide abortions at the clinic. In emergency cases, nearby hospitals do accept admission of a patient from the clinic without the doctor who performed the procedure having admitting or staff privileges.
The Governor also signed into law measures instituting a ban on all abortions solely for gender selection or genetic abnormalities, and a ban on any abortion after a heartbeat can be detected.
In signing all of these measures, the governor acknowledged these laws will be challenged in the courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court. He said "likelihood of this measure (fetal heartbeat law) surviving a court challenge remains in question," but he continued it was a "legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade. On the TRAP law, he said it was also "legitimate and a new question for the courts." He also said the
legislature should appropriate the necessary funds for the state attorney general to defend the measures in court. North Dakota, unlike most states today, has a large budget surplus because of an oil industry boom in the western part of the state. The Bakkan Shale deposit drilling has turned North Dakota into the 4th largest oil producer in USA.
In signing these measures into law, the governor ignored the pleas of North Dakota citizens who rallied simultaneously in the four largest cities of the state-- Bismarck the capital city, Minot, Fargo, and Grand Forks--against the measures and for women's rights and lives. The Stand Up for Women rallies showed the commitment of a large pro-choice movement in North Dakota.
3/25/2013 - GLAAD Changing Name and Mission to be More Trans* Inclusive
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), announced Sunday that it is changing its name from Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to just GLAAD in an effort to expand its mission statement to include members of the transgender community. GLAAD is known for its efforts to curb anti-gay and lesbian media--an effort it now looks to extend to trans* and bisexual people.
GLAAD spokesperson Rich Ferraro said in an interview with MSNBC.com, "This is a reflection of the work we're doing today, and a reflection of the work the gay and lesbian community needs to be doing...our name was hindering that in many instances."
Ferrero went on to comment on changing social stigma. "There have been huge increases in support for gay and lesbians, and for marriage equality. We've noticed that trend and wondered how we could use the tactics that the gay and lesbian community had used to get to today's tipping point [for the trans* community]."
Transgender advocate Janet Mock, who joined Rich Ferraro on MSNBC, added "We need to redefine what equality is. If we're defining equality as something that is scarce and limited and is for a very select few in our community and some of us need to wait a little bit. That is not equality. That's upholding very systematic systems of oppression."
According to a 2011 study by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, individuals who identify as transgender are 30% more likely to be victims of violence and discrimination (compared with heterosexual people).
3/22/2013 - Ryan Budget Passes House, Killed in Senate
Yesterday the devastating Ryan Budget for 2014 was passed on a party line vote of 221-207 in the House of Representatives. Later that day it was solidly defeated in the Senate in a vote of 40-59.
The Ryan budget would repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which prohibits insurance companies from classifying being a woman as a pre-existing medical condition and eliminates co-pays for birth control. The Ryan budget would also turn Medicare into a voucher system that would leave seniors, particularly women, struggling to get coverage, and authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline. In addition, the proposed budget would restructure the way Social Security Living Adjustments are determined, threatening the stability of seniors nationwide. Paul Ryan also seeks to undo sequester cuts to the Pentagon by instead transferring the cuts to already severely impacted domestic programs.
After passage in the House, no Senate Republican offered the Ryan Budget as an amendment to the Senate Democratic proposal by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). Senator Murray, as chair of the Senate Budget Committee, introduced the Ryan Budget where she and her fellow democrats were joined by five Republicans in voting against it. The Senate is anticipated to vote on the Murray budget on Friday.
3/22/2013 - New Hampshire House Rejects Private Prison System
This morning, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to bar the state executive branch from privatizing the prison system. This decision contrasts with the state's position on the issue last year, when it considered a bill that would send all male prisoners to private prisons. The House said that states are constitutionally required to rehabilitate inmates, so shifting this duty to private entities violates the Constitution. The bill now will move on to the state Senate.
Several private prison companies have donated generously to politicians and groups which seek to intensify drug and immigration laws, in effect producing a greater influx of prisoners. Lawmakers argue that privatization is more cost-effective for the state, but many others see that benefit as moot if the prison system seeks to grow, not shrink.
3/22/2013 - Kansas House Passes Abortion Restrictions
The Kansas state house passed a bill on Tuesday that would deny tax breaks to abortion providers, prohibit providers from participating in sex education programs, and require doctors providing abortions to inform patients they have an increased risk of breast cancer, an unproven correlation within the medical field.
The language of the legislation states that human life begins "at fertilization" and that "unborn children have interests in life, health and well-being that should be protected." In addition, an amendment by Rep John Wilson (D) that would provide exceptions for victims of rape or incest was defeated in a vote of 31 to 90.
It is anticipated that the senate will also pass the bill and Kansas Governor, Sam Brownback (R) has said he will sign any anti-abortion bill he receives.
3/22/2013 - BREAKING NEWS: ND Legislature Passes Personhood Measure
Today the North Dakota state legislature passed a measure that would amend the state Constitution to define life as starting as conception, granting full personhood to fertilized eggs. The state House approved the measure in vote of 57-35. The state Senate already approved the measure in February. The measure will go before North Dakota voters in November 2014. It is the first time a Personhood measure has passed in a state legislature, instead of being added to a ballot through signature drives.
3/21/2013 - Amendments to Ryan Budget Defeated
Yesterday debate continued on the Ryan Budget in the U.S. House of Representatives. Five separate amendments to alter the Ryan Budget (House Concurrent Resolution 25 [PDF]) were overwhelmingly defeated.
The most significant counter to the Ryan Budget was the official House Democratic budget, proposed by ranking member of the Budget Committee Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Van Hollen's proposed amendment would have substituted Ryan's budget with a Democratic alternative that did not cut entitlement programs. The House Democratic Budget was defeated on a 165 to 253 vote.
The Ryan budget would repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which prohibits insurance companies from classifying being a woman as a pre-existing medical condition and eliminates co-pays for birth control. The Ryan budget would also turn Medicare into a voucher system that would leave seniors, particularly women, struggling to get coverage, and authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline. In addition, the proposed budget would restructure the way Social Security Living Adjustments are determined, threatening the stability of seniors nationwide. Paul Ryan also seeks to undo sequester cuts to the Pentagon by instead transferring the cuts to already severely impacted domestic programs.
3/21/2013 - 48 States Slash Higher Education Funding To Avoid Tax Increases
According to a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, all but two states in the U.S. are contributing less funds towards higher education than they did before the recession hit. Except for North Dakota and Wyoming, each state now contributes about 28% less funding per university student than they did before 2008. Arizona and New Hampshire have reduced their contributions to university students by half. Most other states have reduced their funding by a third.
Public institutions are more affordable because they typically draw about 53% of their operating cost from state governments. Now that most state governments won't allocate as much funding, public universities are forced to compromise their own budgets, which most immediately means cutbacks in staff - Arizona schools have cut over 2,100 positions to date. Tighter funds also mean fewer course offerings and the reduction or closure of computer labs and other information resources.
This forces students to pay more for their educations in the form of elevated tuition rates, while state scholarships funding decreases. The report hypothesizes that this could have been avoided if states reacted to the recession by raising taxes to increase revenue and cutting costs in various sectors other than higher education.
3/20/2013 - TX Senate Panel Passes TRAP Bill
A Texas senate committee has passed a TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) bill that would require abortion clinics in the state to meet strict operating standards that could potentially close many of Texas's abortion providers. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed SB 537 on a vote of five to two. Similar TRAP laws threaten clinics in other states such as Alabama, Virginia, and Mississippi.
The bill was authored by Senator Bob Deuell (R) and two senate physicians. The proposed requirements would force abortion providers to follow the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers, including specifics regarding the flooring and ventilation systems. Many clinics, especially in more rural areas, may not be able to afford the necessary renovation that SB 537 would require and could face closure.
3/19/2013 - Federal Judge Overturns Missouri Birth Control Law
On Monday, a federal judge overturned a Missouri law that would allow employers to deny contraceptive coverage for their employees.
U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it violated the Affordable Care Act. Judge Fleissig determined that, according to the U.S. Constitution, federal law takes precedent over state laws when there is a legal conflict.
In September 2012, the Missouri state legislature overrode the Governor's veto of the law which would exempt religious institutions from providing contraception coverage to employees. In addition the legislature gave a public rebuttal to the Obama Administration for the Affordable Care Act, the first in the nation. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 20 states [PDF] allow for an employer to deny contraceptive coverage for religious or moral reasons.
