Well, its that time again. Dig out your "Keep your laws off my body" button and your pink "Stand Up for Choice" t-shirt, the legislative session begins February 4th! Woo hoo! Once again, we are spreading the word that prevention will lower the abortion rate in Oklahoma not laws that punish women.
Let me first tell you of a few bills that are promising and you should stay on top of with your legislators:
1. Senator John Sparks was kind enough to support and author SB 1450, the Contraceptive Equity bill. Basically this bill would require insurance companies who cover pre-natal care, pregnancy and deliveries to also cover contraception. Be sure to thank Senator Sparks for helping to COVER OUR PILLS!
2. Senator Tom Adelson was sold on the idea comprehensive sex education in schools needs to be scientifically and medically accurate and has authored SB 1489. The abstinence until marriage programs are not working! The important thing to remember is Oklahoma currently ranks 8th in the country for teen births and 12th in the country for repeat teen births. This bill would do wonders for the teen pregnancy prevention in Oklahoma.
3. Senator Jim Wilson has picked up on the Patient Protection Act or SB 1493. This bill would require that pharmacies in Oklahoma, who refuse to fill a contraceptive prescription, to find other resources for the patient to get the prescription filled. Also requires signs to be posted in pharmacies stating this.
4. The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies act HB 2457 and HB 3320 was picked up by Representative Jeannie McDaniel and Representative Al Lindley. This is requiring emergency contraception to be offered and given to victims of rape in emergency rooms. From what we heard, only three hospitals currently carry emergency contraception for victims of rape.
All of these were introduced last year but never made their way out of committee. All of these bills will directly impact unintended or unwanted pregnancies in our state which, in turn, reduce the number of abortions.
Please call your senators and representatives and ask them to support this important legislation. If you're pro-choice, pro-woman and pro-family, we need you to get involved.
To join our email activist list, click here!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Vigil at the Capitol
Yes, today is the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and many religious events were held across the country in opposition of this historic moment.
We on the other hand commemorate the landmark decision which allowed women the option of legal, safe abortions in our country.
As you're sitting at home watching the many news stories covering the anti's events on the anniversary of Roe...reflect on the words which neglect to mention the woman (incubator) as a person...or education is the key to preventing unintended pregnancies...or the fact that abstinence-only programs are not working in our state (8th highest in the nation for teen births and 12th highest in the nation for repeat teen births), please consider taking a stand with us in our fight to protect reproductive rights in Oklahoma.
For more information please go to http://www.ppcok.org/ or contact us to join the email activists list.
We on the other hand commemorate the landmark decision which allowed women the option of legal, safe abortions in our country.
As you're sitting at home watching the many news stories covering the anti's events on the anniversary of Roe...reflect on the words which neglect to mention the woman (incubator) as a person...or education is the key to preventing unintended pregnancies...or the fact that abstinence-only programs are not working in our state (8th highest in the nation for teen births and 12th highest in the nation for repeat teen births), please consider taking a stand with us in our fight to protect reproductive rights in Oklahoma.
For more information please go to http://www.ppcok.org/ or contact us to join the email activists list.
Monday, January 21, 2008
35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade a Powerful Reminder That
The Struggle for Women’s Health and Safety Continues
On the anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma commemorates 35 years of freedom for women and families and vowed to continue the fight to protect women’s health, increase access to affordable health care and birth control, and expand access to comprehensive sex ed.
Roe v. Wade is a powerful reminder that deciding whether and when to become a parent is one of the most personal and important choices we make. As the nation’s leading provider and advocate of reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood knows firsthand that when women and couples have access to high-quality, affordable health care, they are able to plan healthy families.
Every year, in communities nationwide, Planned Parenthood provides millions of women, men and teens with the information, education and services they need to protect their health, prevent unintended pregnancy, plan and space healthy, wanted pregnancies — and ultimately, to fulfill their dreams and destinies.
Thirty-five years after Roe, the struggle to protect women’s health and safety continues, and it is time for the Oklahoma Legislature and the Bush administration to stop playing politics with public health, Planned Parenthood is calling on elected officials to work with us to expand access to reproductive health care and real sex education for women and families.
Click here to learn more about the historic Roe v. Wade ruling and other reproductive health issues or visit http://www.ppfa.org/ or http://www.ppcok.org/.
The Struggle for Women’s Health and Safety Continues
On the anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma commemorates 35 years of freedom for women and families and vowed to continue the fight to protect women’s health, increase access to affordable health care and birth control, and expand access to comprehensive sex ed.
Roe v. Wade is a powerful reminder that deciding whether and when to become a parent is one of the most personal and important choices we make. As the nation’s leading provider and advocate of reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood knows firsthand that when women and couples have access to high-quality, affordable health care, they are able to plan healthy families.
Every year, in communities nationwide, Planned Parenthood provides millions of women, men and teens with the information, education and services they need to protect their health, prevent unintended pregnancy, plan and space healthy, wanted pregnancies — and ultimately, to fulfill their dreams and destinies.
Thirty-five years after Roe, the struggle to protect women’s health and safety continues, and it is time for the Oklahoma Legislature and the Bush administration to stop playing politics with public health, Planned Parenthood is calling on elected officials to work with us to expand access to reproductive health care and real sex education for women and families.
Click here to learn more about the historic Roe v. Wade ruling and other reproductive health issues or visit http://www.ppfa.org/ or http://www.ppcok.org/.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Reproductive Rights and the Candidates
Want some information on how a few presidential candidates feel about choice? Check out this article, The Incremental Revolutionary for some interesting insight...
Monday, January 14, 2008
The license plate saga continues...
For more than four years, a lawsuit to allow Oklahomans the option of choosing a pro-choice license plate has been declined. This is in retaliation of the "choose life" license plates created in 2004, which benefit organizations that counsel women to continue their pregnancies. The Supreme Court declined to hear Hill v. Kemp and let stand the 2007 ruling by U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
In a statement from the Center for Reproductive Rights:
"We had hoped that the plaintiffs would be given an opportunity to pursue their freedom of speech claims in federal court. Pro-choice Oklahoma drivers are being denied the opportunity to express their point of view, while anti-choice drivers are granted the right to spread propaganda that not only supports their political opinions, but is explicitly sanctioned by the state government. State lawmakers could have resolved this issue simply and fairly by making pro-choice plates equally available, but they have so far refused. Together with Debevoise, we will explore all available options to ensure that the important federal claims raised by these Oklahoma residents will be fully heard."
The Center for Reproductive Rights will continue to fight for the pro-choice plates.
In a statement from the Center for Reproductive Rights:
"We had hoped that the plaintiffs would be given an opportunity to pursue their freedom of speech claims in federal court. Pro-choice Oklahoma drivers are being denied the opportunity to express their point of view, while anti-choice drivers are granted the right to spread propaganda that not only supports their political opinions, but is explicitly sanctioned by the state government. State lawmakers could have resolved this issue simply and fairly by making pro-choice plates equally available, but they have so far refused. Together with Debevoise, we will explore all available options to ensure that the important federal claims raised by these Oklahoma residents will be fully heard."
The Center for Reproductive Rights will continue to fight for the pro-choice plates.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Smart States
From UPI, States rejecting abstinence-only sex ed...
From CBSNews.com, States rejecting abstinence-only funding...
From CBSNews.com, States rejecting abstinence-only funding...
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