Interesting Reading

Check out this article from The Nation called "The Abstinence Gluttons" published last summer...also check out this story from Newsweek yesterday about HPV vaccinations.

Anti-choice bills flying through the House

Once again, the House Judiciary Committee has passed several anti-choice bills out of committe which include:

HB 2181 - resurrected from 2007, this bill is yet another abortion reporting requirement only this time for RU-486 (the abortion pill). The author stated that physicians who give RU-486 are not following FDA requirements about a follow-up visit after 14 days. (How exactly does this representative know that?)

HB 2771 - The ever so popular "Freedom of Conscience Act" which relates to professionals abstaining from procedures they morally object to. (Does this really need to be a law?)

HB 3059 - This bill requires signs to be posted at abortion clinics regarding coercion. (Talked with the abortion provider in Norman and coercion is not a word in his vocabulary.) My vote is to add an amendment to include the same sign in crisis pregnancy centers.

HB 3144 - Not just another ultrasound before an abortion bill, this bill is particularly heinous because it would require providers to perform an ultrasound on a patient ONE HOUR before the procedure...turning the screen toward the patient and explaining what is on the screen whether the patient wants to look at it or not. (I think probably by the time a woman seeking an abortion has had her mandatory 72 hour waiting period, signed and viewed all state mandated documents required before an abortion procedure, and talked with her family and her physician...she has her mind made up.)

ALSO heading for a floor vote is HB 2628 which would keep any non-governmental agencies (who talk about abortion, hand out information on abortion or perform abortions) from talking to teens in schools. This bill is intended to hurt Planned Parenthood in Oklahoma. Usually (on the rare occasion) when Planned Parenthood is invited to speak at a school our educational programs include information about healthy relationships, human sexuality, safety and security on the internet or prevention programs. Considering the author of the bill has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates for his two counties in Oklahoma, he might want to reconsider.

On the Senate side, SB 1878, yet another "Freedom of Conscience Act" bill.

Thanks to all who attended the committee meetings with us this week...our voices may not have been heard but our presence was not ignored.

I leave you with a quote from one of our most popular buttons...

IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION!

Bill Clinton addresses anti-choice hecklers

Don't let a few anti-choice extremists ruin your speech..."Bill Clinton Responds to Anti-Abortion Rights Activists"...

HB 2628 would ban Planned Parenthood from Oklahoma Schools

The House Education Committee passed HB 2628 to keep non governmental agencies (planned parenthood) from teaching or providing information for sex education classes and programs in Oklahoma schools. This bill also includes information about abstinence curriculum.

This particular bill is a direct attack on Planned Parenthood. Representative Faught made no attempt to disguise who this would effect. "This bill is to keep Planned Parenthood out of our schools."

Thanks to Representatives Cox, Nations, McDaniels, and McCarter for stepping up and asking the important questions.

Do three women and nine men speak for you and your rights?

As I sat in the Judiciary sub committee meeting for civil justice and listened to three anti-choice bills being introduced by three female legislators, my blood pressure began to rise. If all the women in the state of Oklahoma could have heard these legislators speak on behalf of...well...YOU...regarding your reproductive rights, what would you do?

I feel compelled to let you in on the conversation that ensued. First of all Representative Billy believes there are not enough abortion restrictions in Oklahoma so her bill would require an ultrasound one hour before an abortion procedure. Not optional, required. Required as in "you don't have to look if you don't want to but there going to do it anyway" type law.

Secondly, Representative Hamilton would like signs posted in all (four) abortion clinics stating that you can't be coerced to have an abortion...um, okay.

Third, Representative Peterson introduced the Freedom of Conscience Act which states you can't be forced to participate in anything that has to do with abortion if you don't belive in it...huh?

And these are just from female legislators...you should see the list from the male anti-choice extremists at the capitol...

So my question to you. Can you or are you willing to attend the next Judiciary committee meeting and help us kill these bills? Let us know by posting a comment...

WEEK TWO AT THE CAPITOL...

Dear Pro-Choice Friends,
We are gearing up for week two at the Capitol and is it a doosie. There are five anti-choice bills on the Judiciary Sub committe on Civil Justice agenda for Monday, February 11th at 4:30 p.m. These bills include:

HB 2709 - requires performance of an ultrasound and explanation of the ultrasound prior to a pregnant woman having an abortion; requires retention records; provides penalty for noncompliance with act;

HB 2771 - creates Freedom of Conscience Act; prohibits employers from discriminating against certain persons; provides equitable relief and damages; provides statute of limitations.

HB 3059 - mandates certain sign posting for facilities that perform abortions.

HB 3144 - requires performance of an ultrasound prior to a pregnant woman having an abortion; provides penalty for false certification.

HB 3378 - Relates to prohibiting abortion without a referral from a second physician and a determination made by both physicians.

The Judiciary sub committee on Civil Justice members include the following Representatives: D. Sullivan, P. Roan, C. Schwartz, T. Thomsen, J. Trebilcock, R. Morrissette and R. Kiesel.

Also on the agenda for the Education sub committee on Common Education for Monday, February 11th at 3 p.m. is:

HB 2618 - Relates to sex education curriculum & materials in schools by prohibiting school districts from allowing nongovernmental entities that provide abortion services or information about abortion to provide materials. (basically that Planned Parenthood isn't welcome in schools).

The Education sub committee members include: A. Coody, N. Brannon, D. Dewitt, S. Winchester, W. Watson, R. McCarter, and E. Cannaday.

CALL 405-521-2711, EMAIL, LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD! WE NEED BOTH COMMITTEES TO VOTE NO ON THESE BILLS!

PPCO Celebrates National Condom Week, Feb. 11 - Feb. 17

Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma will give away its one millionth condom during National Condom Week, February 11th – 17th. People can stop by their closest PPCO health centers during the week of Valentine’s Day to enter a “guess the number of condoms in the jar” contest and to pick up free condoms, information, candy, and “Just Wear It” bumper stickers. Health centers are located in Norman, Edmond, Midwest City, south Oklahoma City, and central Oklahoma City.

“Since 1978, the week of Valentine’s Day has been celebrated as National Condom Week,” says Terry Dennison, Director of Education for Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma. “It is a terrific opportunity to educate people about the importance of prevention and responsible condom use and to address anti-condom claims.”

The latex condom is among the most popular ways that sexually active people reduce the risks of unintended pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. But according to Dennison, the past few years have been filled with politically motivated attacks on the efficacy of condoms.

“Instead of providing accurate information about all people’s options in sexual decision-making, there is a conservative movement, both here and abroad, to push abstinence-only-until-marriage while marginalizing the important part that condoms play in prevention,” says Dennison. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, PPCO is hoping to address the distortion of information about condoms by joining other organizations nationwide to promote the use of latex condoms during National Condom Week.

“PPCO appreciates the fact that abstinence is a valid and practical choice,” says Dennison. “The reality, though, is that most people, married or not, will choose to have sex at some point in their lives. Condom awareness and the promotion of responsible choices and behaviors are also key parts of our continuing strategy of prevention.”

In addition to activities planned at the PPCO health centers, PPCO will join student organizations to distribute free latex condoms, information, and related items on area university and college campuses.

“We want people to feel that it’s okay to talk about condoms, and that condom use can be the norm rather than the exception,” says Dennison. “The more comfortable people become, the better equipped they will be to make safer decisions about their sexual health and behavior.”

For additional information on National Condom Week or other services of Planned Parenthood, call 405/528-0221. For an appointment at your local Planned Parenthood clinic, call 1-800-230-PLAN.

The National Condom Week campaign is made possible through the support of Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund, AIDS Walk of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Friends Fighting AIDS (OFFAIDS) and private donations.

Article from the Oklahoma Daily

Reporter Jackie Clews, had a nice article in the Oklahoma Daily this past week. Check out Sex education: teaching abstinence isn't enough...