Posted on 06/17/2005 11:49:08 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Morning-after contraceptive bill passes Assembly
Madison - The state Assembly late Thursday narrowly passed a bill that would prohibit University of Wisconsin System health clinics from advertising, prescribing or dispensing the morning-after pill to students.
The Assembly approved the measure with a 49-41 vote. One member didn't vote on the bill or indicate a preference, while another eight indicated their preference; they split 4-4.
The Assembly vote sent the bill to the Senate. Even if it passes there, it's not likely to become law.
Gov. Jim Doyle said Thursday that he would veto the emergency contraception bill if it reaches his desk; he said he views it as "the Legislature making medical decisions for people."
"I think that is something doctors ought to work out with patients," he added.
Rep. Dan LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) introduced the legislation in response to advertisements in student newspapers by University Health Services on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Those ads urged students to pack a dose of the morning-after pill in their suitcases for spring break.
The morning-after pill is a high dosage of hormone that is intended to disrupt the process of pregnancy when taken after sexual intercourse. The University Health Services ads featured a young woman in beachwear and promised a prescription over the phone, with no appointment necessary.
LeMahieu said the ads promoted easy access to the drug and encouraged young women to engage in risky behavior.
Those who opposed the measure said the bill could interfere with female students' right to privacy and limit their reproductive freedom. But those backing the measure said banning the contraceptive from campus health clinics would promote the health and safety of female students.
Some abortion opponents believe the morning-after pill can cause a chemical abortion.
Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said the bill would be unconstitutional by violating female students' right to privacy; discriminating against female students by denying them access to medication that only women may need; and infringing on free speech protections by preventing the UW System from advertising emergency contraception.
Some Republican Assembly members had concerns about the wording of the bill; the 60-member Republican caucus spent two hours behind closed doors to work out differences.
In the end, Republican Reps. Brett Davis of Oregon, Jeff Wood of Chippewa Falls, David Ward of Fort Atkinson and Rob Kreibich of Eau Claire voted against the bill. Republicans Andy Lamb of Menomonie, Terry Musser of Black River Falls and Kitty Rhoades of Hudson joined Democrat Terese Berceau of Madison in indicating "no" votes.
"I'm not sure the gray area we're stepping into is right," Wood said.
Democratic Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc joined three Republicans in indicating a "yes" vote. Republican Rep. Garey Bies of Sister Bay didn't vote or indicate a preference.
On the floor, Democrats criticized the measure for potentially moving Wisconsin backward and putting young women at risk. For many students, university health care clinics are their only way to get access to medical care, they said.
"This bill is going to drag some of us kicking and screaming back to the 1960s, when women lived in fear, sought out sympathetic health care providers or (were left) without an ability to control their own fertility," said Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-Verona). Safety concerns
LeMahieu said the bill was narrowly written and addressed only the morning-after pill, which he said provided a false sense of security to young people.
"They think if they take that morning-after pill, their problems are solved," he said, which ignores the potential for contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
Rep. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) said the university shouldn't be in the business of offering a service that encourages young women to be irresponsible.
"This is about promoting bad choices, and the university shouldn't be the taxpayer-funded vehicle for it," Vukmir said.
University Health Services is funded by student fees, not taxpayer dollars; at UW-Madison, half of the student body receives care from the university agency at some point during the school year.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) represents part of the UW-Madison campus and said the health clinic had been responsible in offering prescriptions to students.
Also Thursday, the Assembly passed legislation that would make it a misdemeanor to possess or distribute a hazardous substance with the intent to abuse it. The bill, which passed on a voice vote, said hazardous substances include household products, such as glue or cleaning supplies.
Diana---I've heard of deaths related to RU-486 but not the morning after pill. Have you heard differently?
I haven't heard of any deaths yet, but when I was younger and went on the pill after I was engaged, I ended up hemorraging from the pill. This "morning after pill" is a double-dose of birth control hormones.
If the UW is handing them out like candy to the co-eds, it's just a matter of time before someone has a bad reaction, as I did on a much LOWER dose of the same hormones.
http://www.physiciansforlife.ca/morning.html
"The common description of the Morning After Pill (MAP) as emergency contraception fails to accurately describe its possible abortifacient action and is misleading the public. The confusion is aggravated by the current attempt to re-define pregnancy as occurring after implantation. It is a basic fact of human embryology that life begins at conception.
Impact of MAP Use
Manufacturers have reduced the hormone content of oral contraceptives due to serious side effects and health risks. Now women are being encouraged to use these same pills, in multiple doses, as post-coital "contraception." The potential long-term impact of these high hormone doses, especially when used repeatedly, is worrisome and not being adequately addressed. The potential effect of the drug on children who survive is also a cause for concern."
JUST TO BE CLEAR: Wisconsin Republicans are not trying to BAN this drug. A woman should be able to use it under a doctor's care. They are trying to stop the TAXPAYERS from having to foot the bill when the STATE hands it out to girls at the STATE University of Wisconsin, Madison.
They're also not happy with the "slut-factor" attributed to just handing it out. The UW actually ADVERTISED that they had this pill for the girls to take on Spring Break with them. And of course, it does nothing to prevent STDs.
I think that the kids at Wisconsin are smarter than Governor Doilly. I believe most of the people in the State of Wisconsin are smarter than the Governor Doilly Cloth.
The Governor Doilly Cloth thinks that we can all get our prescription drugs from Canada. The Governor Doilly Cloth dosn't realize that Canada cannot produce 1% of our prescription needs and the drugs bought in Canada are not FDA regulated.
The Governor Doilly Cloth believes that Canadian drugs should be protected as our FDA regulated drugs are. Wait a minute. We pay what we pay in the US for drugs because they are FDA regulated. FDA regulation costs the US drug companies a goodly amount of money. The Canadian drug companies aren't paying anything to support the FDA. What the hell is Governor Doilly Cloth thinking about?.
I think his idea is "Let's not support the American companies, that support the FDA, and get everything from Canada. That way everything will be cheaper. Cheap is good."
How can Governor Doilly Cloth proclaim that we can buy drugs from Canada and expect the same quality as US drugs if they don't meet our FDA standards?
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