Actions Taken On Women's Health-Related Legislation In Ariz., N.H., Va., S.D.

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Nursing / Midwifery;  Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 25 Jan 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health-related legislation.

Abstinence-Only Education

• Arizona: Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) on Wednesday said the state is rejecting federal funding for the Title V abstinence-only education program, Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star reports. Napolitano in a letter to HHS officials said she believes in education that "strongly promotes abstinence" but only will accept federal funding again if it can be used for a "curriculum that provides comprehensive and medically accurate sexuality education" (Fischer, Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star, 1/24). According to the AP/Arizona Daily Star, Arizona provided $780,000 for Title V abstinence-only education in fiscal year 2007, and the federal government provided $1.2 million (Christie, AP/Arizona Daily Star, 1/20). Napolitano said she accepted Title V funding in previous years "in part to see whether it worked" but added that "every" recent study has shown that the programs do not decrease teen pregnancy rates. "While we all support 'abstinence only' and don't believe, in particular, teenagers ought to be engaging in sexual relations of that sort, the fact of the matter is, some do," Napolitano said, adding, "They need to have complete information for their own health, for their own bodies." Rep. Mark Anderson (R), who supports abstinence-only education, said some of the programs have been proven to reduce sexual activity (Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star, 1/24). Arizona is the 16th state that either is not expected to apply for Title V funding or explicitly has rejected funding. Title V programs nationwide are eligible for a total of $50 million in federal funds annually (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/21/07).

HPV Vaccines

• Virginia: On Monday, the House approved a measure (HB 188) by a 57-39 vote that would delay a requirement that girls entering the sixth grade must have received a vaccination against human papillomavirus, the AP/WTOP News reports (Lewis, AP/WTOP News, 1/21). The regulation is included under a law (HB 2035) signed by Gov. Tim Kaine (D) last year. Under the law, parents can opt out of the requirement. The new bill would postpone the law from going into effect from later this year until 2010. Lawmakers who support the delay said it would provide more time to study the vaccine's side effects and for competing vaccinations to reach the market (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/17). Del. Robert Marshall (R), who sponsored the measure, said all his bill does is defer "the coercive force of the commonwealth in applying the law." Opponents of the delay said that HPV vaccines could prevent disease and save lives (AP/WTOP News, 1/21).

Midwifery

• New Hampshire: The House last week voted 226-111 to approve a bill (SB 131) that would require health insurers to reimburse women who chose to deliver infants at home with the assistance of a midwife, the Nashua Telegraph reports (Landrigan, Nashua Telegraph, 1/17). The bill, which has passed in the Senate, will not go directly to Gov. John Lynch's (D) desk because of amendments made to the bill, Lynch spokesperson Colin Manning said. Lynch "is going to need to look at the changes that were made" to the bill, Manning said. Critics of the bill said home births could increase dangers for pregnant women and infants, but supporters said concerns about potential complications are exaggerated. According to legislators, insurers in the state are opposed to the bill. A 2006 state law requires insurers to cover services for deliveries at birthing centers run by midwives but does not require coverage for home births (Sanger-Katz, Concord Monitor, 1/17).

Prescription Contraceptives

• South Dakota: State legislators on Tuesday filed a bill (SB 164) that aims to protect access to birth control and other contraceptives, the AP/Rapid City Journal reports. According to the AP/Journal, the bill is in response to a state law that allows pharmacists to refuse to dispense medication if they believe it would cause an abortion or be used in suicide. The bill says pharmacists cannot use the law to refuse to dispense birth control (AP/Rapid City Journal, 1/22).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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