Stand Up For Women's Health

Here are a few stories we’ve been paying attention to:

National News:

• The American Independent covers an emerging trend for states to push women through crisis pregnancy centers’ doors as part of new legislation that increases waiting times and mandates pre-abortion ultrasounds: http://www.americanindependent.com/210920/the-rising-power-of-crisis-pregnancy-centers

• Jon Stewart: Virginia bill turns women in popsicles: http://www.newser.com/story/140245/jon-stewart-virginia-bill-turns-women-into-popsicles.html

• Seven US states filed a lawsuit to block the federal government’s requirement that religious organizations offer health insurance coverage that includes free access to contraception for women: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/seven-states-sue-to-block-contraception-mandate-dpgonc-km-20120223_18195737

• According to a new poll, the majority of Americans like the idea of giving birth control to anyone who wants it: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/73198.html

• The NYT reports that the rapid growth of Catholic hospitals limit access to reproductive health care: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/health/policy/growth-of-catholic-hospitals-may-limit-access-to-reproductive-care.html?_r=2

 
 
State News:

• More than 1,000 people protested a number of bills targeted at limiting the rights of women in Virginia: http://www.therotundaonline.com/news/more-than-1-000-protest-for-women-s-rights-in-richmond-1.2791636?MMode=true

• Amid public uproar that prompted Virginia’s governor to withdraw his support, the Virginia House passes an amended abortion bill: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/ultrasound-abortion-governor-dpgapx-20110222-to_18158758

• Tom Suehs, the Texas HHS commissioner signed a rule that formally bans Planned Parenthood clinics and other “affiliates of abortion providers” from participating in the Texas’ Women’s Health Program: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-health-resources/abortion-texas/suehs-signs-rule-banning-abortion-affiliates/

• A federal judge ruled that Washington state cannot require pharmacists to dispense emergency contraceptives to customers if doing so goes against their religious beliefs: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-contraceptives-courttre81k24w-20120221,0,1536031.story

• Georgia House Democrats in the legislature expressed their disagreement with an anti-abortion bill by holding a hearing on their own “anti-vasectomy bill.”: http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2012-02-22/story/georgia-house-democrats-make-light-republicans-abortion-bill-vasectomy#ixzz1nhehCSk0

Political News:

• Rick Santorum opposes prenatal testing: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/02/rick_santorum_o.php

• The Huffington Post reveals that Santorum was a self-admitted pro-choice Republican until running for Congress: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/rick-santorum-abortion_n_1291634.html

• For the election ahead, the Catholic contraception debate is still on the table: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204131004577235101592573614.html

• And Ann Gerhart of The Washington Post asks, “Birth control as an election issue? Why?”: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/birth-control-as-election-issue-why/2012/02/17/gIQASW6kPR_story.html