The following highlights recent communique of state actions on women’s health issues.
Abortion Regulations
- South Dakota: The state House on Tuesday voted 59-11 to approve a state Senate bill (SB 185) that would require abortion clinics to obtain specific licenses and undergo state inspections, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Brokaw, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/14). The measure would require the state Department of Health to charge a fee before inspecting a facility for compliance with state requirements and issuing a license. The bill, which was approved by the state Senate last week, would cap the fee at $2,000 (Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, 2/10). The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Rounds (R) for consideration (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/14).
Stem Cell Research
- Connecticut: The state Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee on Tuesday said that scientists doing human embryonic stem cell research, which cannot be funded by the federal government, should receive priority consideration for the state’s stem cell funding, the Hartford Courant reports. The guidelines regulate $100 million in stem cell funding that is scheduled to be made available over the next 10 years. The committee plans to begin distributing two-year grants totaling $20 million in late spring (Hathaway, Hartford Courant, 2/15).
- Virginia: The state House of Delegates on Tuesday voted 99-0 to approve a bill (HB 413) that would establish a statewide umbilical cord blood bank system, the AP/Newport News Daily Press reports (O’Dell, AP/Newport News Daily Press, 2/14). Umbilical cord blood contains hematopoietic progenitor cells — the same kind of stem cells found in adult bone marrow — that could be used to treat people with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and several other diseases. The bill, which was recommended by a 15-member commission led by Delegate Robert Marshall (R), would instruct the state health commissioner to work with medical schools, hospital systems, biotechnology companies, blood banks and laboratories to launch the system (Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, 1/19). The bill now goes to the state Senate for consideration (AP/Newport News Daily Press, 2/14).
Sex Education
- South Dakota: The state Senate Education committee on Tuesday voted 6-1 to reject a bill (HB 1217) that would have required public schools to teach abstinence as the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Brokaw, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/15). The measure — which was proposed by state Rep. Roger Hunt (R) and approved by the state House on Feb. 3 — would have required schools that offer sex education classes not to promote or provide information about the use of contraceptive drugs, devices or methods. Under the measure, school districts incorporating sex education into classes also would have been required to set up advisory boards to evaluate new courses or materials being introduced (Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, 2/7).
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