Posts Tagged ‘NC Legislature’

“Women Know Nothing” bill a.k.a. “Women are idiots” bill a.k.a. “The Woman’s Right to Know”

http://www.gocomics.com/tomtoles/2011/03/27/

Such is the case with HB854, the so-called “Woman’s Right to Know” bill which received its first hearing in the House Judiciary B committee Wednesday morning.

One of our legislative allies refers to this bill as the “Women are Idiots” or “Women Know Nothing” bill. This is far more accurate.

Let’s get one thing straight first and foremost– Informed consent is already part of ethical medical practice. Furthermore, it is already required by state law (G.S. 90-21.13). Planned Parenthood’s medical professionals give informed consent to every single patient who walks through our doors not just because it’s required by law but because it is part of delivering compassionate, non-judgmental, non-coercive care.

So if it’s just masquerading as informed consent what is HB854 really? Proponents in yesterday’s committee hearing stated that HB854 is “empowering” to women. This not only would seem to be untrue, it is also just plain insulting for men to suggest that women won’t know the difference between being empowered and being talked down to. Here are the basics of what this law would entail and maybe someone else can tell me where the empowerment comes in.

HB 854 requires:

1) Two pages of mandated counseling written by politicians, not doctors. These politicians have no expertise in obstetrics-gynecology.

2) A 24-hour mandatory delay for women seeking abortion care. Sixty percent of women who decide to have an abortion are already mothers and make the incredibly difficult decision out of concern for their families and considering current responsibilities and obligations. Women make this decision with difficulty and a great deal of thought. This bill implies that women choose abortion on a whim. Further, this waiting period introduces a huge barrier for women who are poor and/or live in rural areas far from the closest provider.

3) Physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide consultations for any woman who calls to schedule an abortion even if the provider has never met the woman or confirmed that she is pregnant. Forcing medical professionals to give medical advice over the phone is bad medical practice plain and simple. Furthermore, it opens the door for anti-choice activists to call clinics with the sole purpose of wasting doctors’ time.

4) North Carolina to produce printed materials, which prominently display: “The life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique living human being.” This one pretty much speaks for itself. If there every were anything outside the government’s purview I’m pretty sure it would be attempting to answer the age old philosophical question of when life begins.

5) Notarization of parental consent for minors whose parents do not or cannot accompany their daughter to have an abortion. This would deny families in crisis their right to privacy in making confidential health decisions. This is especially true for families who live in smaller communities where public notaries are often a neighbor or a merchant with whom the family regularly does business. There is no way to guarantee confidentiality.

6) The physician or qualified technician to perform an ultrasound 4 hours before the abortion, forcing the woman to wait additional time. Now she’s effectively looking at a 28 hour waiting period. In addition, ultrasounds are already required by state regulation. What is not currently required but is included in HB854 is that the woman be forced to listen to the technician describe fetal stages of development as it relates to her ultrasound. Those who support the bill say this is no big deal because the woman is permitted to “avert her eyes”. Oh wait, is this what they meant by “empowerment”?

7) A page and a half of newly created reporting requirements which must be completed by the physician, including documentation of the consultations provided to women who call but never become a patient. It is unclear who will monitor this reporting and if these new reporting requirements will breach patient confidentiality.

If you’re getting the sense that it’s an omnibus attack on reproductive health and a wish-list of restrictions and barriers for any anti-choice politician, you’re right on. Scary times indeed.

The good news? You can help us in this fight! Make a secure donation to your local Planned Parenthood to help us beat back the anti-choice attacks and look for much more on this bill as it makes its way through committee.

You can “follow” our play-by-play from inside the Legislative Building at www.twitter.com/ppcnc

Yesterday the politically motivated “Choose Life” License Plates bill was introduced in the North Carolina Senate. Tell your Senator to OPPOSE this harmful legislation!

“Choose Life” license plates are specialty plates that bear an anti-choice message. Individuals who wish to purchase the plate pay a fee above the cost of a standard license plate.

The legislation requires the state to create a “Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship” through which money raised from the sale of these plates will be funneled into so-called crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs).

SB 73 specifically mandates that funds received through the sale of “Choose Life” license plates “shall not be distributed to any agency, organization, business, or other entity that provides, promotes, counsels, or refers for abortion.”

Women deserve unbiased, non-directive reproductive health care information. Instead CPC’s deliver biased, inaccurate and even deceptive messages about the full range of legal options regarding unplanned pregnancy. 

The bottom line is that the state has no business raising funds for organizations that deny women information, counseling or referrals for reproductive health care options.

Tell your Senator to VOTE NO on SB 73- “Choose Life” Specialty Plates! 

We know it’s going to be a tough legislative session with a new, anti-choice majority in power in North Carolina.

Very simply, this means that there has never been a more important time for pro-choice advocates to come together and let our legislators know that WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER!

Here’s your opportunity to make a difference and take a stand. Join your friends at Planned Parenthood, NC Women United, and many of our fabulous coalition partners as we prepare to send this message loud and clear on Tuesday, March 1.

REGISTER Today for Women’s Advocacy Day!

NC Women United is honored to host special guest Lilly Ledbetter (of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act) at this event. Her inspiring story reminds us all of the power we have when we unite around a common cause.

Be part of the movement by attending the 2011 Women’s Advocacy Day! Here are the basics:

WHO: NC Women United in partnership with Planned Parenthood and many others featuring special guest, Lilly Ledbetter!

WHAT: Women’s Advocacy Day 2011! Join women and men from across the state to lobby for the issues most important to women and their families in NC. (Children are very welcome to attend with a responsible adult.)

WHEN: Tuesday, March 1 from 9:00am-2:00pm. Click here for a schedule of the day and additional details.

WHERE: Legislative Building at 16 West Jones St., Raleigh. The NC General Assembly website has directions and visitor parking information.

WHY: To urge your legislators to protect women’s health and let them know that women’s lives matter! Women have made many gains over recent years and we cannot let the new Legislature roll back the clock.

HOW:  Register to attend Women’s Advocacy Day today!

Attending Women’s Advocacy Day and coming from out of town? Email alison.kiser@ppcentralnc.org for information about local hotels.

Make it a two for one! Double the effectiveness of your trip to Raleigh by staying overnight to attend Adolescent Health Advocacy Day on Wednesday, March 2.

Groundhog Day. I can’t imagine a more fitting day to watch the shenanigans sure to be on display in the NC House today.

I’m not talking weather forecast—six more weeks of winter or early spring. I’m talking Groundhog Day, the movie, the endless recycling of the past over and over again.  

The new majority in the NC House is taking up HB 2 (a.k.a. a bill to undermine the Affordability Care Act or Obama’s health care reform). The NC bill has had one committee hearing where the Republican chair refused to allow public comment, expert testimony or provide an official fiscal note so that members would know how much this effort will cost taxpayers.

HB 2 requires Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper to join other conservative states in suing the federal government over the Affordability Care Act. When Democratic Representative Grier Martin asked to hear from the AG’s office, he was soundly told no, it’s unnecessary.

Polling shows that North Carolinians are mixed on health care reform, which makes total sense. People want what they want but they don’t want to pay for it. People want to do away with preexisting conditions. Parents want to cover their children until they reach 26 years of age. No one wants lifetime caps. And, free preventive health care is wildly popular.

But to have all these things, we’ve got to join together to drive down the cost. Enter the mandate that everyone be insured. In order to keep cost down, the insurance pool must be comprised of healthy and sick people. So we pay more while we are healthy but we benefit when, inevitably, we need more health care—and, insurers won’t be able to deny us because we’re sick Oh so simple.

Of course, the new majority knows all these things but their end game is rehashing yesterday’s battles. And, why not? The Tea Party was borne of the vitriol spewed during the disastrous town hall fights over health care reform in 2009. Nothing like fomenting the base to stay in control.  

So stay tuned. I’m fairly certain dismantling health care reform won’t be the new majority’s only bill that takes us back in time.

How are you doing with your New year’s resolutions?   If you’re among the nearly 50% of people who make resolutions, you’re probably fairing pretty well this first week.  Your enthusiasm is high and your conviction is strong and you’re doing great!  Statistics have shown that 64% of resolutions are kept through the first month. 

The research shows that while a lot of people who make new years resolutions do eventually break them ( a little more than half at the 6 month mark), making resolutions is useful. People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.

I’d like to suggest a couple of resolutions to add:
Schedule a pap smear!  January is Cervical Cancer Screening Month. A pap smear can find abnormal cells that may indicate cervical cancer. Screening for cervical cancer using the pap test has decreased the number of new cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths due to cervical cancer since 1950. Early detection can be lifesaving. More information on cervical cancer / Schedule a Pap.  5 minutes of awkward could save your life!

Stand up to politicians who want to limit your reproductive rights!  The new anti-choice majority in North Carolina is most certainly going to introduce legislation that will impact women’s access to comprehensive health care. You can help fight this! 
Things you can do:  Sign up for our email alert system* Go to the legislature with us on Wednesdays- Citizen Lobby days *Help us get other activists involved by phonebanking.

We’re going to need to be strong in 2011.  Let’s be strong, healthy, and let’s fight together.

Imagine the outcry if North Carolina created a special breast cancer license plate to support organizations that agree to deny women information, referrals or counseling about the medical options available to treat breast cancer. Substitute pregnancy for breast cancer and, in essence, this is what activists rallying in Raleigh next week to pass “Choose Life” license plates want.

The “Choose Life” bill specifically states that funds raised through the sale of these plates may not be distributed to any organization that “provides, promotes, counsels or refers for abortion.” This puts the state in the business of fundraising for organizations that agree to deny women legal health care information at a time of crisis.

For years now, the “Right-to-Life” and other socially conservative organizations in North Carolina have pushed for a “Choose Life” license plate. Since it must be approved by the North Carolina Legislature, these activists tout the plate as either an issue of free speech or as a benign fundraising tool for “crisis pregnancy centers.”

First off, just because a person is free to speak a lie or, in this case, deny women legal health information, it doesn’t mean that the State should sanction this speech by fundraising to support it.

Second, “choose life” is pure political sloganeering. No other approved license plate in North Carolina panders to the politics of one side in a divisive argument.

Finally, implicit in their argument is that “life” is on their side. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Every single minute of every single day a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth–536,000 women every year. Of course, the majority of these women live in lesser developed countries where abortion is mostly illegal, family planning hard to come by and prenatal care virtually unheard of.

In fact, the abortion rate in countries where abortion is mostly banned often equals or exceeds the abortion rate in the United States. The primary difference is that in countries where abortion is illegal, women die at a much higher rate from abortion–so much for “choosing life.”

The quality of life enjoyed by most women in the U.S. hinges on access to safe, legal and affordable reproductive health care options including abortion, prenatal care and family planning services.

In the United States, sixty-percent of women who have abortions already have a child or children. They know the love a child offers as well as the demands of caring for a child. In fact, the number one reason women give for choosing abortion is, “concern or responsibility to other individuals.” For most of these women, choosing abortion is about “choosing life.”

image of proposed "choose life" license plate

So let’s go back to the fallacy of “Choose Life” license plates. Whose life are they choosing? The mock up plate features children rendered in crayon. North Carolinians who want to support children may already purchase a “

Kids First” license plate that raises funds for programs that directly serve children.

If the purpose of “Choose Life” license plate is simply to raise money for “crisis pregnancy centers” then would-be license holders should become donors. That’s what supporters of most causes do. Assuming the “crisis pregnancy centers” are legitimate non-profit organizations, the donations are even tax deductible.

The final suggestion made by these groups is that Planned Parenthood can get their own license plate to counter the “Choose Life” plate. In essence, their answer is for North Carolina to create two license plate funds: one, for Planned Parenthood, that provides women with all of their legal pregnancy options and a “Choose Life” fund that denies women this information.

Planned Parenthood is far too respectful of women’s lives, not mention the State’s budget crisis, to fall for such a wasteful bad policy. We hope the NC Legislature is as well.

Tell your legislators that the state has no business sanctioning and financially supporting organizations that deny women information about services they have every legal right to access. Take action now!