More Legislation to Watch

As with the bills and resolutions listed in the previous post, full-text and details may not yet be available for these newly introduced items. The GovTrack links will provide status updates; if you'd like to follow these bills, you can set up monitoring in GovTrack or check the Thomas pages individually when they become available. I'm going to make an effort to go back and update posts with links to additional information/text when it becomes available, and will link to all previous legislation-related posts from each new one, so you can easily link back and follow their progress.

H.R. 464 - To provide for the provision by hospitals receiving Federal funds through the Medicare Program or Medicaid Program of emergency contraceptives to women who are survivors of sexual assault.
Thomas | Summary Page from GovTrack
Introduced 1/12/07 by Rep. Steven Rothman [D-NJ]. This bill would require the following of hospitals receiving Medicare/Medicaid:

(1) The hospital promptly provides the woman with medically and factually accurate and unbiased written and oral information about emergency contraception, including information explaining that--

(A) emergency contraception has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter medication for women ages 18 and over and is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure if taken in a timely manner;

(B) emergency contraception is more effective the sooner it is taken; and

(C) emergency contraception does not cause an abortion and cannot interrupt an established pregnancy.

(2) The hospital promptly offers emergency contraception to the woman, and promptly provides such contraception to her at the hospital on her request.

(3) The information provided pursuant to paragraph (1) is in clear and concise language, is readily comprehensible, and meets such conditions regarding the provision of the information in languages other than English as the Secretary may establish.

(4) The services described in paragraphs (1) through (3) are not denied because of the inability of the woman or her family to pay for the services.

In the findings of the legislation, it is estimated that "25,000 to 32,000 women become pregnant each year as a result of rape or incest."


H.R. 468 - To make grants to carry out activities to prevent teen pregnancy in racial or ethnic minority or immigrant communities, and for other purposes.
Thomas | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/12/07 by Rep. Hilda Solis [D-CA].

S. Res. 24 - A resolution designating January 2007 as "National Stalking Awareness Month"
Thomas | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/11/07 by Sen. Joseph Biden [D-DE].

H. Conn. Res. 30 - Raising awareness and encouraging prevention of stalking by establishing January 2007 as "National Stalking Awareness Month"
Text and Status from Thomas | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/11/07 by Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX].

H.R. 405 - To amend the Public Health Service Act regarding residential treatment programs for pregnant and parenting women, a program to reduce substance abuse among nonviolent offenders, and for other purposes.
Thomas | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/11/07 by Rep. Barbara Cubin [R-WY]

H.R. 427 - To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to assure coverage for legal immigrant children and pregnant women under the Medicaid Program and the State children's health insurance program (SCHIP).
Thomas | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/11/07 by Rep. Edophus Towns [D-NY]

S. 244 - A bill to improve women's access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services.
Text Not Available | Summary from GovTrack
Introduced 1/10/07 by Sen. Judd Gregg [R-NH]

Previous Posts:

HR32 (female genital mutiliation, CEDAW, etc.); S21 (reducing abortion & unintended pregnancy); S28 (requiring generic drug use under Medicare Part D)

Technorati Tags: Congress; emergency contraception; liability; malpractice; Medicaid; OB/GYNs; pregnancy; sexual assault; stalking; substance abuse; teen pregnancy
MeSH Tags: Contraception, Postcoital; Legislation; Malpractice; Medicaid; Residential Treatment; Substance-Related Disorders