Post Cross-Over Day Session Report
Legislative wrap up Sponsored by NCJW and the League of Women April 26
at the Buckhead library from 11:00 a.m.-1:p.m.
269 Buckhead Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30305
The Georgia General Assembly has been hard at work this session to restrict access to family planning services and ban abortion outright. New attempts to define "personhood" as beginning at fertilization have been undertaken, moving anti-choice legislation in a more dangerous direction. To combat these outrageous attempts, a coalition of organizations has gathered to promote legislation that will benefit the well being of all Georgians, not place undue burdens on one's ability to access medical care.
"Cross-Over Day", the last day for a bill to leave either the House or Senate and remain viable, led to the demise of many of these anti-choice bills. Nonetheless, any bills that did not pass outright can still be amended onto viable bills and be passed.
Active Bills of Concern
Health Insurance Plans
Advocates have been following a number of bills dealing with health insurance and have tried to work with bill sponsors to include language that protects health care services such as mammograms, pap smears, after childbirth hospital stays, newborn coverage, immunizations and other preventive health care. House Bill 977 (HB 977 - Knox) has been amended in the House Rules Committee to include provisions previously included in HB 1087, SB 383, and HB 1210. HB 977 passed out of the House on "Cross-Over Day" and will now be heard in the Senate Finance Committee.
Another bill dealing with health insurance plans that specifically eliminates state mandates for health care insurance is Senate Bill 404.
Senate Bill 404 (SB 404 - Williams) - Georgia Health Marketplace Act
SB 404 aims to create a new class of health insurance plans that could be offered without including coverage mandated in Georgia law. This bill would eliminate important health insurance protections, which the General Assembly has adopted over the past decade like prescriptions for contraception, screening for Chlamydia, treatment for complications of pregnancy, newborn hospital stays, and more. SB 404 was amended and passed out of the Senate on March 6th. It has been assigned to the Insurance committee in the House.
Proactive Legislation
Budget Cuts and Tax Reform
This session has seen a variety of tax reform bills as well as the proposed FY 2009 budget that will provide drastic cuts to programs and not be beneficial to the citizens of Georgia. These are typical examples of how the General Assembly doesn't think twice to restrict access to reproductive health care and yet they continue to cut support for women and families in need. Various tax reform measures have passed out of both houses and we continue to monitor these bills as they affect access to health care.
Sidelined Bills
Technically the below bills are "dead" for the session, however, they can procedurally be amended onto viable bills and still be passed. We are keeping an eye on the harmful bills below to ensure that they remain off the floor for the next 10 legislative days.
Proactive Legislation
Senate Resolution 1006 (SR 1006 - Brown) - Georgia Medical Privacy Act
Senator Robert Brown has introduced the Georgia Medical Privacy Act. SR 1006 is a proposed constitutional amendment to protect an individual's right to make informed medical decisions. This amendment would protect an individual's right to decide whether and when to become a parent, whether to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability, and whether to accept or refuse medical care at any point in one's life. This amendment would stop government intrusion in Georgian's personal lives, keep politicians out of our medical records, stop them from dictating what kinds of birth control we use, and keep them from interfering with medical decisions related to fertility, pregnancy and at the end of our lives. SR 1006 was introduced on February 21st and is in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was not heard in committee and is thus dead for the remainder of the session.
Senate Resolution 388 (SR 388 - Orrock) - U.S. Congress; urged to enact Prevention First Act Senator Nan Orrock has introduced SR 388 asking the Senate to urge Congress to Pass the Prevention First Act. The Prevention First Act (H.R.819/S.21), introduced in the 110th Congress by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), is an omnibus family planning initiative that expands access to preventive health care services and education programs to help reduce unintended pregnancy, prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and support healthy families by improving women's health - all while saving scarce public health dollars. SR 388 was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on February 28th but did not receive a vote and is thus dead for the remainder of the session.
Abortion Access
House Resolution 536 (HR 536 - Scott) - Paramount Right to Life Act; Constitutional Amendment
HR 536 is a proposed constitutional amendment to establish the "personhood" of each citizen from fertilization until natural death. HR 536's implications are so broad that HR 536 could potentially ban abortion in Georgia, as well as ban certain forms of contraception and prevent women from utilizing assisted reproductive technology. With such random implications and broad, legal and medical ramifications, will it lead to a ban on birth control pills and the IUD? Will it prevent women from utilizing In Vitro Fertilization? Bottom line, this bill violates the fundamental right to privacy at every turn and puts politics above the health and safety of women.
HR 536 was heard in a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on February 18th and 20th and was tabled. It was not heard again before "Cross-Over Day" and is virtually dead this session. However, attempts to amend it onto another bill as a statutory "personhood" amendment has already been attempted once and we expect this tactic to be repeated before the session is out.
House Bill 1358 (HB 1358 - Mills) - The Human Embryo Protection Act
HB 1358's intent is to recognize all human embryos as "legal persons" under the law. This bill is a direct attempt to interfere with assisted reproductive technology, especially In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This is another attempt at defining "personhood" at fertilization in Georgia and ultimately to interfere with one's ability to control personal fertility. This bill was introduced on February 27th and was not heard in committee and is thus dead for the session.
House Bill 1 (HB 1 - Franklin) - Crimes against public health and morals
HB 1 criminalizes all abortions and makes performing an abortion a felony in Georgia. It is yet another attempt to outlaw abortion in Georgia. As currently written, this legislation is unconstitutional. This bill was heard in a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on February 20th and was voted down.
Ed. Note: After reading this report forwarded to us by our State Public Affairs Chairwoman, Fran Travis, I am sure that many of us who are reading this have great concern. This is why NCJW has persisted and prevailed for over 115 years. Your vote counts. Help us to get out the vote in November and participate with Fran in Women in the Halls. If you want your voice to be heard, speak out.
Contact Fran Travis, State Public Affairs Chairwoman, ftravis@shirtlady.net for more information.
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