Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues, Gubernatorial Actions In Various US States

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 02 May 2006 - 9:00 PDT


The following highlights recent news of state and gubernatorial actions on women's health issues.

Abortion Regulations

• Hawaii: Gov. Linda Lingle (R) on Wednesday signed into law a bill (HB 1242) that repeals a current law requiring women seeking abortion to be state residents, the AP/Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports (AP/Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 4/27). The measure also allows women to undergo the procedure in clinics and physicians' offices outside of hospitals (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 4/13). In addition, the law inserts into state law a paragraph clarifying a woman's right to abort a "nonviable" fetus and her right to undergo an abortion to save her life (AP/Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 4/27).
  


• Louisiana: The state Senate on Wednesday voted 30-7 to approve a bill (SB 33) that would ban abortion in the state except to save the life of the woman, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports (Anderson, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 4/27). Under the measure, sponsored by state Sen. Ben Nevers (D), any person who performs the procedure would be subject to penalties of between one year and 10 years in jail, as well as fines of $10,000 to $100,000. A woman who undergoes the procedure would not be punished (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 4/21). The law would to go into effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned "in whole or in part" Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that effectively barred state abortion bans, or if the U.S. Constitution is amended to ban abortion, the Times-Picayune reports (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 4/27). The bill now goes to the state House for consideration (Simpson, AP/Baton Rouge Advocate, 4/27). State Rep. Tim Burns (R) last month introduced a similar bill (HB 132) in the state House (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 4/21). That bill, which includes exceptions in cases of rape or incest, has not come up for a vote (KPLC-TV, 4/27).

Other Regulations

• Arizona: Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) on Wednesday signed into law a bill (HB 2698) that allows small businesses to be exempt from health insurance coverage requirements for items such as contraception, the Associated Press reports (Davenport, Associated Press, 4/26). The measure applies to businesses with two to 25 employees who were not covered by insurance for at least six months (AP/KOLD, 4/26).

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