Kansas, Texas Lawmakers Take Action On Women's Health Measures

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 12 May 2009 - 4:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The following summarizes recent action on women's health-related legislation in Kansas and Texas.

~Kansas: The Kansas Senate on Thursday failed to override former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' (D) veto of a bill (S.B. 218) that would require doctors to report additional information about certain abortion procedures later in pregnancy, the AP/Lawrence Journal-World reports. The 40-member chamber voted 25-13 to override, which was two votes short of the required number. The bill also would have allowed county prosecutors to investigate and file charges against abortion providers in other counties. In addition, it would have allowed a woman who had an abortion or her husband, parents or guardians to file lawsuits against abortion providers if they believed the procedure was performed illegally (Manning, AP/Lawrence Journal-World, 5/8).

~Texas: Texas Senate Finance Committee Chair Steve Ogden (R) is blocking a provision in a state spending bill that would increase reimbursement rates for birth control pills under a program used by Planned Parenthood and other clinics to help low-income women obtain contraceptives, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports. The $7 million program has become a point of contention between state House and Senate negotiators trying to agree on a final version of the bill, which totals about $180 billion. The program subsidizes the cost of birth control for women in families with incomes less than 185% of the federal poverty level. Advocates note that the reimbursement rate of $2.80 has not been raised since the 1970s. The proposal in question would raise that rate to $20. Women's Health and Family Planning Association of Texas CEO Fran Hagerty said that the money would help reduce unintended pregnancies and ultimately lead to lower government costs. Ogden said he is blocking the provision while he learns more about the program (AP/Houston Chronicle, 5/7).

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.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

• Additional
• References
• Citations