4.5 (2 votes)
Healthcare Prof:
The following highlights recent news of state actions on abortion- and sex education-related legislation.
Colorado: Gov. Bill Ritter (D) on Monday signed a bill into law (HB 1292) that requires all but one school district within the state to teach comprehensive sex education courses based on scientific research and include instruction on the well being benefits and possible side effects of contraception, the Colorado Springs Gazette reports (Sealover, Colorado Springs Gazette, 5/15). Under the bill, courses still could include discussion of abstinence but must be comprehensive. Schools also could decide not to teach a sex education course. The school district in Center, Colo., could be able to continue teaching its abstinence-only curriculum so as not to lose its federal grants. Some Republicans have stated the bill would violate the “local control” principle inside the state constitution, which allows each district to decide its own curriculum (Kaiser Everyday Women’s Health Report, 4/13). “If a school district and a student so choose, this legislation allows educators to help students develop skills that will enable them to make responsible and healthy decisions, including the teaching of abstinence,” Ritter in a statement stated, adding, “This legislation also ensures nearby school districts have control more than what programs they choose to offer to their students” (Ritter statement, 5/14).
Kansas: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) on Wednesday signed into law a bill (HB 2062) that would alter the state’s definition of a “person” to include an “unborn child” from the time of conception and allow prosecutors to charge anyone who attacks a pregnant woman with a separate crime against the fetus, the AP/KSHB-TV reports (AP/KSHB-TV, 5/9). Under previous Kansas law, it was a felony to injure a pregnant woman, but the fetus was not also treated as a victim (Kaiser Daily Women’s Well being Policy Report, 4/30). Julie Burkhart, director with the abortion-rights group ProKanDo, said that the measure “will not help pregnant women in Kansas escape the perils of violent behavior.” Sen. Phil Journey (R), who supported the bill, said the law is unlikely to be misused by prosecutors, adding, “It’s intended to be very narrow in its application.” The measure also included other crime-related provisions, the Wichita Eagle reports (Lefler, Wichita Eagle, 5/10).
Oklahoma: The House on Monday voted 77-19 to approve a measure that would ban the use of state or federal funds to perform abortions, the AP/KOTV reports. Public hospitals still would be allowed to perform abortions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of pregnant females, based on supporters with the measure (Talley, AP/KOTV, 5/14). Gov. Brad Henry (D) last month vetoed a similar bill (SB 714) that would have banned the use of state or federal funds to perform abortions except for procedures to save the lives of pregnant girls. The vetoed legislation also would have barred using state-supported hospitals, clinics and equipment to perform abortions. In addition, the bill would have tightened the bypass provision of the state’s informed consent law by changing the definition of “medical emergency,” and it would make all state employees ineligible to perform an abortion except to save the life with the woman. The Senate failed to override the veto by one vote (Kaiser Day-to-day Women’s Well being Policy Report, 4/24). In accordance with the AP/KOTV, the new bill allows physicians more rights to discuss the procedure with the pregnant woman (AP/KOTV, 5/14).
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