Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bills To Expand Birth Control Access Move Forward In Oregon, D.C.
The Associated Press: Oregon Bill Expands Access To Birth Control
Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that could make their state the easiest place in the nation for women to access birth control. The proposal advancing through the Legislature would allow pharmacists to write prescriptions for contraceptives after women pass a risk-screening assessment. (Kuman, 6/4)
The Hill: DC Bill To Expand Birth Control Access Could Draw GOP Ire
A D.C. bill to expand access to birth control could become the next big battle between city leaders and conservatives in Congress. The bill would allow women to get a full year of birth control at once and is likely to draw fire from Republicans who have already tried to block a D.C. statute offering legal protections to women who have had abortions or use contraception. (Ferris, 6/3)
The Texas Tribune: In Conservative Legislature, Few Abortion Bills Passed
Two years after passing some of the strictest abortion regulations in the country — and with a state Legislature considered even more conservative than in years past — Republican lawmakers are leaving their 2015 session having passed just one piece of legislation to further restrict the procedure. Some attributed it to a lack of interest in such a divisive social issue from top leadership in the chambers. Others think there was some fatigue on the issue after the sweeping measures that passed in 2013 — some of which are still tangled up in court. (Ura, 6/3)
Los Angeles Times: North Carolina Legislature Passes Bill Mandating 72-Hour Wait For Abortions
An abortion bill that would require women in North Carolina to wait 72 hours before having the procedure cleared the state Legislature on Wednesday and is now heading to the desk of Gov. Pat McCrory. The bill, which triples the state's mandatory 24-hour waiting period, cleared the house by a vote of 71 to 43. Under the law, doctors would be required to counsel patients on alternative options at least 72 hours before an abortion could take place. (Queally, 6/3)
