Emergency Contraception: Coming to a State Legislature Near You

The Washington Post reports that more than 60 bills regarding emergency contraception (EC) have been filed in state legislatures this year. Some of the measures seek to expand access to EC, which can help prevent pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. But other bills would make it harder for women to obtain EC, even if they have a valid prescription. EC received national attention in 2005 when the FDA refused to issue a decision on making EC available over the counter.

The Canadian Supreme Court declined to hear a class-action lawsuit regarding public funding of timely abortions in Canada. The case was brought by two women who had to pay for their own abortions at a private clinic because they would have had to wait more than two months to receive publicly funded care.

Good News to Start the Weekend: Virginia Kills TRAP Bill

Here’s some good news from Virginia to start your weekend:

The Virginia Legislature killed a Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) bill in committee yesterday. The bill would have required abortion providers to follow a series of politically motivated regulations that could have forced some of the state’s clinics to close.

But Senators on the Senate Education and Health Committee recognized the harmful effects of this unnecessary legislation and voted it down 9-6.

As you know, Virginia wasn’t the only state that considered anti-choice legislation this week; South Dakota and Indiana legislatures also took up anti-choice bills. To find out how NAF took action around these pieces of legislation and to sign up on our Action Alert list, visit our Action For Choice Center.

If you want to find out more about abortion-related legislation in the states you can download our most recent report, Reproductive Choice in the States 2005. The report details some of the most common anti-choice and pro-choice legislation that moved through state legislatures in 2005 including biased counseling bills, abortion bans, and TRAP legislation.

Have an excellent weekend and don’t forget to check back on Monday for the latest pro-choice news.

South Dakota Passes Abortion Ban

Yesterday, the South Dakota legislature passed the bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state. This is an extremely sad day for South Dakota women, whose legislators passed the ban without any consideration for their lives and health. The New York Times has a story examining the implications of this development.

We also put out a press release yesterday criticizing the legislature for playing politics with women’s lives.

South Dakota and Roe

South Dakota lawmakers will soon vote on a bill that could outlaw almost all abortions in the state. The bill contains an extremely narrow exception for the life of the woman, but women who were impregnated through rape or incest would be forced to carry their pregnancies to term. If the bill passes, South Dakota would hold the impressive honor of having the strictest abortion law in the country.

The ban also seeks to challenge Roe v. Wade directly. If it passes, it will likely be challenged in court, as it disregards precedents set in Roe. Today’s New York Times examines how the bill seeks to eventually overturn Roe and send control over abortion laws back to the states.

Speculating on the New Supreme Court and Abortion

Today, the New York Times has an in-depth article examining the changes on the Supreme Court and how they could affect the Court’s ruling on the Federal Abortion Ban (FAB). Next term the Court will rule on a case filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, which challenged the constitutionality of the ban. There are two other cases challenging the FAB, including our case, NAF v. Gonzales, which is still in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Also, I forgot to mention that yesterday was Samuel Alito’s first official day on the job. The Times has an editorial welcoming him to the court.

Supreme Court will Consider Federal Abortion Ban

The Associated Press is reporting that the Supreme Court will examine the constitutionality of the Federal Abortion Ban. The court will consider the ban’s lack of protections for women’s health as well as its broad language. The ban has already been struck down in the three circuit courts to hear the case.

Alito Starts on Monday

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was confirmed two weeks ago, but next week he begins his new job. Today’s Associated Press has an article examining Alito’s transition from nominee to associate justice.

One of the cases which may come before the Court is our case challenging the Federal Abortion Ban. Congress passed this dangerous piece of legislation in 2003. The law could have banned abortions as early as 13 weeks. After President Bush signed the bill in 2003, we immediately filed a case challenging the constitutionality of the law. Find more about our lawsuit NAF v. Gonzales.

Mifepristone in Australia and TRAP in Indiana

Australia moved one step closer to approving mifepristone today, as the Australian parliament, after a long and emotional debate, voted to remove the Australian Health Minister's power to veto the drug. Mifepristone may be available for use in Australia in the coming months.

The Indiana based Lafayette Journal and Courier denounced the state's proposed TRAP legislation, which they call a "back-door ban on abortions." Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) bills are one of the most common ways that states try to decrease access to abortion. These bills single out clinics and force them to submit to politically motivated, unnecessary regulations that sometimes can force a clinic to close.

Parking--a new way to stop CPCs?

Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) have been deceiving women who seek reproductive health care for years. CPCs masquerade as legitimate health clinics to lure women in their doors. Once inside, they give women misinformation to dissuade them from having an abortion.

Despite their deceptive tactics, many Crisis Pregnancy Centers receive federal funding and are difficult, if not impossible, to shut down.

However, this CPC in Deer Park, New Jersey, may be the first CPC to be shut down over parking spaces.

More Cuts to International Family Planning?

Today’s New York Times reports that President Bush is planning to further cut international family planning programs by 18%. If these cuts go through, the world’s poorest women would have even less access to the reproductive health care services they desperately need.

Read the entire article.

The Battle Over Mifepristone in Australia

Australia is engaged in a heated debate over mifepristone. The Australian House of Representatives is looking at a bill approving mifepristone, although according to this article it looks like the debate has already gotten out of control.

The Current Pro-Choice Debate

E. J. Dionne's column in today's Washington Post explores the current pro-choice and anti-choice debate. It's an interesting article and Dionne notes President Bush's political posturing on abortion. Read the entire column.

Biased Counseling Legislation in Indiana

I was quoted in Sunday’s Washington Post about a proposed Indiana biased counseling law. Among other things, the law would require doctors to tell women seeking abortions that life begins at conception. I criticized the political motivations behind these laws, which give women biased information to dissuade them from having abortions.

Read the entire article.

Welcome

Welcome to The Saporta Reporter. I’m very excited to launch this new section of the NAF website, where our members and activists can keep up-to-date on the very latest in pro-choice news. We’ll also be featuring stories from women who have chosen abortion, updates about our programs, and much more.

In light of the confirmation of Samuel Alito, it’s now more important than ever for us to come together. While abortion remains one of the safest and most common medical procedures in the United States, women’s reproductive freedom is under attack across the country.

Anti-choice forces are passing restrictive legislation that compromises women’s access to reproductive health care services in many states. With Alito on the Supreme Court, it’s clear that we will be facing a much more conservative court. We fully expect him to join Scalia and Thomas as the court’s far-right, ultra-conservative wing.

But in the midst of these difficult political battles, I find the work of our membership truly inspiring. NAF represents over 400 facilities that care for over half the women who choose abortion each year in the United States. Our members often have to overcome harassment and even violence to ensure that their patients receive the quality care that they need and deserve. I am proud to represent these every-day heroes who keep reproductive choice a reality for women in the United States and Canada.

As you learn more about NAF’s work to keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible, I hope you’ll be inspired too. Given the many challenges we face in the coming years, it’s more important than ever that the pro-choice community is informed and active. The Saporta Reporter will keep you updated on the issues and struggles that matter to our community. Please, feel free to forward any of our posts to your colleagues and other interested parties.

And check back frequently as we add new content.

-Vicki