Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Abortion Landscape In Midwest, South Shifting As States Pass Restrictions At Unprecedented Levels
Los Angeles Times: Abortion Opponents Gain Momentum As South Carolina Becomes 17th State To Enact Restrictions
South Carolina has become the latest state to restrict women’s access to abortion, with legislators passing a bill that bans women from obtaining an abortion at 20 weeks or later, even if she has been raped or is a victim of incest. ... Sixteen other states, including Alabama and Wisconsin, have passed legislation similar to South Carolina's. Most have applied the limit at 20 weeks post-fertilization (22 weeks after the woman’s last menstrual period), but two states – Arizona and Mississippi – have banned abortions after 18 weeks. ... Momentum has reached an unprecedented level in the last six years, as conservative legislators, predominantly in the Southeast and the Midwest, have drawn up an unprecedented number of laws that limit women’s abortion access – from tightening clinic regulations, introducing mandatory waiting periods, and placing limits on minors’ access to abortion. (Jarvie, 5/18)
The Associated Press: Ohio Officials Grapple With Planned Parenthood Restrictions
An Ohio law that strips government funding from Planned Parenthood is forcing some local health officials to scramble to find replacement providers for certain services. The law targets the more than $1 million that Planned Parenthood gets through Ohio's health department. The money, which is mostly federal, supports a variety of programs including initiatives that seek to reduce infant mortality and provide cancer screenings. The law bars such public funds from going to entities that perform or promote abortions. (5/19)
