Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Time Off For Childbirth, Abortion Part Of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The 19th: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Regulations Include Time Off For Childbirth, Abortion
In what could be a groundbreaking shift in American workplaces, most employees across the country will now have access to unpaid time off to recover from childbirth or to access an abortion. These changes are part of new workplace protections made possible through the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. (Carrazana, 4/15)
In abortion news from Arizona, Indiana, Florida, and Alabama —
The New York Times: Under Pressure From Trump, Arizona Republicans Weigh Response To 1864 Abortion Ban
Facing mounting pressure to strike down a near-total abortion ban revived last week by Arizona’s Supreme Court, Republican state legislators are considering efforts to undermine a planned ballot measure this fall that would enshrine abortion rights in the Arizona Constitution, according to a presentation obtained by The New York Times. The 1864 law that is set to take effect in the coming weeks bans nearly all abortions and mandates prison sentences of two to five years for providing abortion care. The proposed ballot measure on abortion rights, known as the Arizona Abortion Access Act, would enshrine the right to an abortion before viability, or about 24 weeks. Supporters of the measure say they have already gathered enough signatures to put the question on the ballot ahead of a July 3 filing deadline. (Cameron, 4/15)
KFF Health News: Conservative Justices Stir Trouble For Republican Politicians On Abortion
Abortion opponents have maneuvered in courthouses for years to end access to reproductive health care. In Arizona last week, a win for the anti-abortion camp caused political blowback for Republican candidates in the state and beyond. The reaction echoed the response to an Alabama Supreme Court decision over in vitro fertilization just two months before. (Pradhan, 4/16)
AP: Indiana Limits Abortion Data For Privacy Under Near-Total Ban, But Some GOP Candidates Push Back
Indiana allows so few abortions that health officials stopped releasing individual reports to protect patient privacy — a move some Republicans are now fighting to reverse. The Republicans, including prominent candidates for office this year, want access to reports detailing each abortion still performed in the state. Advocates for abortion rights and some state officials warn that would jeopardize the privacy of physicians and patients who can only receive abortions under strict circumstances. (Volmert, 4/16)
The Hill: Rick Scott Supports 15-Week Florida Abortion Ban Over 6-Week Limit
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) says he would support replacing Florida’s six-week state abortion ban with a 15-week statewide ban that he believes would reflect broader consensus within the Sunshine State over how to protect unborn life. Scott says any 15-week statewide abortion ban should include the standard exceptions for cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. (Bolton, 4/15)
Fox News: Alabama Senator Seeks To Expose Abortions At The Department Of Veterans Affairs
A prominent Republican senator from Alabama is aiming to increase transparency about abortions that take place within the Department of Veterans Affairs. On Tuesday, Sen. Tommy Tuberville plans to introduce the VA Abortion Transparency Act of 2024, a measure that would require the VA to provide quarterly reports as well as a variety of details surrounding its involvement in abortions performed. (Johnson, 4/16)
Stateline: Fatal Anomaly Exception Didn’t Spare Alabama Mom Who Needed An Abortion
Kelly Shannon was grieving a pregnancy she would need to terminate because of multiple fetal anomalies when she got the call that Alabama doctors wouldn’t approve an abortion procedure despite exceptions in the law. That meant she would have to leave the state. Shannon, 36, was about 16 weeks along in January 2023 when genetic testing — and confirmation from an amniocentesis — showed her fetus likely had Trisomy 21, better known as Down syndrome. (Moseley-Morris, 4/15)
