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ALASKA REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NEWS - May 2003 ALASKA LEGISLATURE Fortunately, the clock ran out on six anti-choice bills that were introduced this session. But when the Legislature returns in January, the bills will pick up exactly where they left off. Following is a quick status report: Bills mandating biased counseling and a 24-hour waiting period for abortion (these bills refer to a fetus as an "unborn child"):
U.S. SENATE WHERE IS THE LISA MURKOWSKI WE ONCE KNEW? U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, once an outspoken voice for reason on the abortion debate, has been voting with ideological right-wingers on matters of reproductive freedom. Most recently, Sen. Murkowski voted to UPHOLD the ban on abortion in overseas military facilities, a ban that restricts the constitutional rights and jeopardizes the health and safety of U.S. military women serving overseas. TAKE ACTION: Tell Sen. Lisa Murkowski you do not support this ban and do not appreciate her vote to uphold it. Remember, she is a senator for all Alaska and YOU are her constituent. She is up for re-election-her first election-next year, and she needs to hear that we CARE about our right to reproductive medical care without government interference. Phone: (202) 224-6665 Fax: (202) 224-5301 Mail: Sen. Lisa Murkowski 322 Hart Building Washington, DC 20510-0202 Web Comment Form: http://murkowski.senate.gov/ THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR VIGILANCE! ALASKA NEWS - July 2002 State of Alaska Legislature Fails to Pass "Prescription Fairness Bill" for Fourth Year An Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruling in 2000 said that any company (with 15 employees or more) must provide contraception coverage if they are providing prescription coverage through a health care plan. If not, the company could be sued for discrimination against women. Despite this ruling and a strong coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the Alaskan legislature, the legislation was held in the House HESS Committee by Rep. Dyson and held in the Senate State Affairs Committee by Sen. Therriault. Governor Tony Knowles Vetoes Anti-Abortion Bill Gov. Knowles vetoed a bill that attempted to limit state funding of abortions for low-income women. The bill would have restricted access by tightening the definition of "medically necessary" abortions, which the state Medicaid program is constitutionally required to cover. Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer spoke in support of the veto. The Court ruled last year that the state may not deny funding for medically advised abortions for low-income women if it provides other pregnancy-related services for them. The new definition could leave out women with critical health problems or pregnancies with severe fetal anomalies. Current regulations define therapeutic abortions as necessary ³to prevent the death or disability of the woman, or to ameliorate a condition harmful to the womanıs physical or psychological health.² The bill passed the House 23-17. Voting against the bill were Republicans Halcro, Murkowski, Scalzi, Porter and Bunde; and Democrats Berkowitz, Cissna, Crawford, Croft, Davies, Guess, Hayes, Joule, Kapsner, Kerttula, Kookesh and Moses. The bill passed the Senate 12-8. Voting against the bill were Democrats Davis, Ellis, Elton, Hoffman and Lincoln; and Republicans Austerman, Donley and Wilken. NATIONAL NEWS - 2002 Bush Seeks $33 million increase for Abstinence Only Sex Education Abstinence-only education programs* focus solely on telling young adults that they should not engage in sexual activity until marriage. The programs are required to teach that sex outside of marriage - for persons of any age - is likely to have harmful physical and psychological effects. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute,** the programs may not in any way advocate contraceptive use or discuss contraceptive methods except to emphasize their failure rates. Since 1997, three federal programs have expended half a billion dollars on restrictive abstinence-only education. This is the only sex education funding currently provided by the federal government. More >>> Bush Administration Proposes Health Care Coverage for Fetuses not Pregnant Women The Bush Administration's proposed rule change would designate embryos and fetuses as "children" eligible for medical benefits under the State Childrenıs Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). The pregnant woman would not be considered the programıs recipient. The proposed rule change is designed to "legally" establish an embryo or fetus as a separate human being. The proposal would actually harm women by pitting their needs against the programıs beneficiaries- the embryos. If a woman miscarries, the mother might not be eligible for follow-up care because there would no longer be a program beneficiary. The Bush Administration purports the change is needed to expand access to prenatal care. This is not true. Both the S-CHIP and Medicaid law already allow states the flexibility to expand coverage for pregnant women. In Alaska, prenatal and postpartum care under Medicaid is currently available to pregnant women with family income up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for Alaska. US House Passes So-Called "Child Custody Protection Act" This bill would make it a crime for anyone other than a parent to accompany a young woman across state lines to obtain an abortion unless the home stateıs parental consent laws have been met. Under this legislation a grandmother, older sibling or clergy member could be prosecuted for aiding a young woman in crisis, subjecting them to up to a year in jail and a fine of $100,000. Nomination of Anti-Choice Judges At All Levels of Federal Bench In the US Supreme Court, we remain one vote away from reversing Roe v. Wade. President Bush could appoint up to 25% of the judges in our federal courts. If these courts are controlled by far right judges, the rights of women, and all Americans, could be in danger. 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