Bills stripping Planned Parenthood of over $7 million head to Assembly floor

MADISON (WKOW) – Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) would have to come up with an extra $7.5 million per year in order to carry out the services it currently provides to women who use their preventive health services, after two pieces of legislation advanced to the full State Assembly Tuesday.

The Assembly Committee on Health passed Assembly Bills 310 and 311, both of which target PPWI.

AB 310 blocks PPWI from receiving federal family planning grants through a program known as Title X. PPWI is currently the only organization that applies for and receives the grants in Wisconsin, which are worth $3.5 million per year.

The bill directs the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to apply for Title X funding – something the agency has never done – and then distribute it to groups that don’t perform abortions, such as county health departments and other private groups.

But Democrats argued there aren’t enough groups currently offering the same services to pick up the slack.
    
“Many of the other clinics on that list – and it was a short list – did not provide pap smears, did not provide STD treatment and testing, did not provide these critical sexual health services,” said Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison).

After rejecting an amendment that would require a study of the groups that can perform such services, Republicans also turned down a measure that guarantees DHS actually submit an application that complies with Title X guidelines.
    
Rep. Subeck is convinced they won’t, because the bill is written in such a way that makes it impossible.

“We are going to pay our staff to put forth an application that we know does not meet the federal guidelines,” said Rep. Subeck.

But Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R-West Allis), who chairs the committee, said he trusts DHS staffers will submit an application that meets all federal guidelines.

“It’s highly unlikely that the federal government would award a grant to us knowing that we’re gonna break the law, so I think this amendment is really unnecessary,” said Rep. Sanfelippo.

The bill ultimately passed along party lines, with Republicans rejecting the notion the it would limit access to critical services.

“We’re opening the door to hundreds of clinics being able to provide these services as opposed to just one organization with less than 20 clinics,” said Rep. Sanfelippo.

“I think for the chair to make statements that there are other providers out there is really disingenuous to the public,” countered Nicole Safar, policy director for PPWI.

Safar sees the legislation as nothing more than a political attack.

“It’s not really about getting $3 million to the state to provide health care services for men and women. It’s about trying to hurt Planned Parenthood,” said Safar.

The Title X grants run on three-year cycles and PPWI just got its latest this year, meaning the organization will get that money until 2018.

That’s the earliest DHS could apply for a new grant.

The Committee also passed a bill today that will require PPWI to purchase birth control drugs at higher rates through Medicaid, which will cost the group an additional $4 million per year.

Bills stripping Planned Parenthood of over $7 million head to Assembly floor

NY Senate Passes Women's Equality Bills, Excludes Abortion-Rights Measure

January 13, 2015 — The GOP-controlled New York Senate on Monday unanimously approved eight out of nine remaining bills in the package known as the Women’s Equality Act but did not take up an abortion-rights measure, setting up another potential stalemate with the state Assembly, the AP/Auburn Citizen reports (AP/Auburn Citizen, 1/12).

Background

The 10-point measure, which failed to pass in its entirety in previous sessions, includes bills covering issues such as human trafficking, sexual harassment, pay equity, protective orders for women and abortion access (Women’s Health Policy Report, 1/7). A version of one of the 10 bills addressing penalties for domestic violence has already become law (Campbell, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, 1/12).

The state Senate last session passed some bills from the package, including measures that would have addressed employment and housing discrimination, equal pay and sexual harassment, but many state senators objected to the abortion-rights measure. Meanwhile, state Assembly Democrats wanted the package to be considered in its entirety and not as separate bills (Women’s Health Policy Report, 1/7).

Supporters have said the abortion-rights measure in the package would bring state law in line with the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision (Women’s Health Policy Report, 6/12/14). However, opponents of abortion rights, including some conservative members of the New York state Senate, have referred to the measure as an “abortion expansion,” the Albany Times Union reports.

Reaction, Next Steps

In a statement before the votes in his chamber, state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R) called on the state Assembly to follow suit and pass the eight bills. He said, “It is a new year and time to put progress over politics by passing effective measures that provide women with the protections they need and the opportunities they deserve. The Senate is making the passing of these bills an immediate priority because women need the politics to end so that New York can enact a Women’s Equality Agenda without further delay.”

State Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said that the votes were an example of Senate GOP lawmakers not being willing to support abortion rights. She said, “What they’re saying yet again is here we are in 2015, and there’s no Republican willing to even pass for New York state what is federal law” (Hamilton, Albany Times Union, 1/12).

Meanwhile, state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) indicated that his chamber could again decide to only take up the Women’s Equality Act as a whole (AP/Auburn Citizen, 1/12). He said, “I think what’s important here is our conference will take up the issues, and what’s really important is to pass all 10 points. A woman’s right to choose is a fundamental right, and the Senate so far has not shown any (inclination) toward that.”

According to the Albany Times Union, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is expected to restate his support for the passage of the full Women’s Equality Act when he delivers the State of the State address next week (Albany Times Union, 1/12).

NY Senate Passes Women"s Equality Bills, Excludes Abortion-Rights Measure