Senate Passes Emergency Contraception Bill By Vote of 37-0!

[paineinthearse]

From: "MassNOW - Newsletter" <[e-mail] >

Senate Passes EC Bill By Vote of 37-0!

Mass NOW, along with our sister organizations, are thrilled to announce that the Massachusetts State Senate approved “An Act to Provide Timely Access to Emergency Contraception” (Senate Bill 2073) by a vote of 37-0 yesterday. This important bill would require hospital emergency rooms in Massachusetts to make emergency contraception (EC) available to rape survivors and would also allow specially trained pharmacists to dispense EC without a prescription. EC helps prevent pregnancy if taken within five days of unprotected sex. It is not RU486, the abortion pill, and it will not affect an existing pregnancy.

After hours of intense debate, we were able to defeat two amendments
that would have weakened the bill. We would like to thank the bill's
lead sponsor, Senator Pam Resor for leading this fight. We also thank
Senators Susan Fargo, Brian Lees, Dianne Wilkerson, Jarrett Barrios,
Robert Havern, Stephen Brewer, Cynthia Stone Creem and Richard Tisei for their powerful arguments on behalf of this legislation during the debate.

And finally, a special thank you to all of you for all of your calls
and emails to your State Senator. They certainly made a significant
impact! Now we move to the House of Representatives where we will continue to need your help getting the message out to your legislators that making EC available is compassionate care for rape survivors and that making it more readily available in general is the most promising means of reducing the abortion rate in Massachusetts.

We will keep you informed about the timing of a House vote on the EC
bill so that you know when to weigh in with your State Representative.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. Once again, Massachusetts resists the decent into the Dark Ages

:woohoo:

[rodeodance]

3. and here in WI--our legislators are clones of BushCo

[DanCa]

5. I thought bush co was against clonning ?

Sorry just trying a little joke to lighten this subject up.
No harm no foul right :)

[DanCa]

2. This is why am pro choice

How can a sane person allow an innocent rape victim to force a woman to carry her attackers baby to term? That's akin to having her relieve that evil every day of her life.
And people call themselves christian's. Jesus himself self told people not to be a scribe or a pharisee. And that everything has an exception.
Bottom line am pro neutreal on most forms of abortion but since the baby is a symbionte this is a concisous I firmly support the mothers right to choose. Congrats on the sucess ratio. Looks like you got some good clear thinking people in your senate.

[ThumperDumper]

4. We ALMOST got that here in Colorado...

Our Democrat-controlled House passed it.
Our Republican governer Vetoed it.

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[HockeyMom]

6. Concerned Women for America

Against this and ALL methods of BC. They cite examples of "poor teenage girls being deceived into taking these pills without parental consent and having severe bleeding, cramping, etc." with these pills.

Hell, that sounds like how I was BEFORE talking birth control pills; same for both of my daughters from the time they were very young teenagers.

As far as both REPUBLICAN Governors, Romney and Pataki, this will put them in the spotlight. You will be able to judge their national aspirations on how they vote.

[DanCa]

7. Concerened women for america

That title is so wrong I dont know where to begin.

[TaleWgnDg]

9. "Concerned Women for America" is an ultra-rightwing . . .

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"Concerned Women for America" (C.W.A.) is an ultra-rightwing . . . group of organizations that were founded in response to the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.). CWA was founded by Evangelical-Pentacostals and other ultra-rightwingers who reacted against the equal rights of women in law movement. CWA is bible-speak to its core. Fundamentalist bible, that is.

"CWA�s Principal Issues:

"Concerned Women for America is 'the nation�s largest public policy women�s organization . . . (CWA seeks) to protect traditional values that support the Biblical design of the family.'

"CWA is anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-feminism and anti-sex education. Beverly LaHaye started CWA to respond to the advances of feminism after watching NOW�s founder Betty Friedan on television in 1978. CWA identifies feminism as 'anti-god, anti-family.' CWA identifies state-level Equal Rights Amendments (ERAs) as responsible for the breakdown of families, 'The ERA proposes the elimination of our God-given roles as men and women, resulting in the redefinition -- and eventual destruction -- of family.' "

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=3151


__________________________________________

"Yes, religion and politics do mix. America is
a nation based on biblical principles. Christian
values dominate our government. The test of those
values is the Bible. Politicians who do not use
the bible to guide their public and private lives
do not belong in office." - Ms. magazine, 2/87,
quoting Beverly LaHaye, Founder and Chairman of
Concerned Women for America.
__________________________________________


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[TaleWgnDg]

8. Now that Tom Finneran has left the MA House . . .

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Now that Tom Finneran has left the MA House . . . this bill should pass through the House and onto Mittens desk.

I wonder. What will Mittens do? Finneran was never able to separate his own personal religion from his duties as Speaker that's why bills in the House such as this one never came up for a vote while he was the Massachusetts House Speaker. Mittens has that very same problem. Would it apply to this medication too?

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"He's been a pro-life Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly," Governor Mitt Romney (R, MA) adviser Michael Murphy told the National Review (a prominent conservative magazine) in a cover story hitting newstands on June 3, 2005, entitled "Matinee Mitt." -- http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/06/03/adviser_says_governor_faked_stance_on_abortion (Headlines, page A-1, "Adviser says Governor Faked Stance on Abortion," Boston Globe, Friday, June 3, 2005)
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