Excerpt: "Arizona has taken up yet another draconian law for women's health - this time replicating but broadening the federal push to let employers deny women access to birth control. The bill stipulates that, unless a woman brings in a note proving she is not using it to avoid getting pregnant, an employer can deny birth control to any woman in the workplace."
In Arizona, women may soon have to notify their employers if they use birth control. (image: Calblog)
The 'Tell Your Boss Why You're on the Pill' Bill
15 March 12
rizona has taken up yet another draconian law for women’s health – this time replicating but broadening the federal push to let employers deny women access to birth control. The bill stipulates that, unless a woman brings in a note proving she is not using it to avoid getting pregnant, an employer can deny birth control to any woman in the workplace.
By a vote of 6-2, an Arizona State Senate Judiciary committee yesterday endorsed the measure:
Arizona House Bill 2625, authored by Majority Whip Debbie Lesko, R-Glendale, would permit employers to ask their employees for proof of medical prescription if they seek contraceptives for non-reproductive purposes, such as hormone control or acne treatment.
"I believe we live in America. We don’t live in the Soviet Union,” Lesko said. "So, government should not be telling the organizations or mom and pop employers to do something against their moral beliefs… My whole legislation is about our First Amendment rights and freedom of religion."
The argument that providing birth control violates the First Amendment is bogus, debunked by a twenty year-old opinion by conservative Supreme Court Justice Scalia.
Needless to say, many women do not feel comfortable turning over their medical records to their employers, even if they do have a condition that qualifies them under Lesko’s proposed law. Especially since, as an at-will employment state, an Arizona employer would likely be able to fire a woman if they saw anything in her gynecological history that he (or, yes, she) didn't like. But, under the proposed law, a boss could fire the woman if the woman didn't turn it over, too.
You can read our top five reasons why contraception is important here. Aside from the obvious health benefits that lead some women to use birth control, contraceptive use has helped shrink the gender pay gap; it even benefits the economy as a whole.
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Comments
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This country has gone stark raving mad. It seems like lunatic Taliban extremists have take over.
It's time for real general strikes -- at least bring states who are doing these things to dead stop. It's all only going to get worse if the people don't take control of the nation.
" ilenewells 2012-03-14 08:20
Join us on APRIL 28th when we say Enough is Enough! We will be uniting women and like minded men and religious groups to protest the Republican War on Women. We will be protesting is all 50 states and Washington DC. Join us!. www.unitewomen.org"
In Sacramento friends are putting together a group to march on the capitol. Start marching folks while it is still legal. We are trying to make tee shirts with SLUTS--Smart Ladies Undeterred by Teabagger Slander. Birth control impacts all of us not just women. If we don't stand up now, it will be even more difficult later.
This whole issue has an easy solution -- convert to a single-payer healthcare system. Then neither your employer nor your insurance company can prevent you from receiving the medical care you need. I definitely trust the government more than any private profiteer when it comes to healthcare.
When hundreds of individual insurers are the health care providers, they can always come up with silly reasons to disallow one thing or another for non-medical reasons. Catholic insurance companies will never cover birth control or abortion. That should not be their decision.
The US is now the laughing stock of the whole world.
They would love to have the women under their thumbs the same way the Tali does.
Why are we in Afghanistan when we have the Taliban here at home to fight?
I think these loonies are making such a big push this year because they sense there's going to be a big backlash this fall and they need to get what they can while they can.
Any backlash has to be as relentless as these Taliban wannabes and the backlash has to be ongoing. We cannot relax against these crazies.
The first order of bizness is to go after any and all politicians at any level who cater to these nutcases.
Tell them we're going to vote them out for voting wrong and then VOTE THEM OUT!
In order for a yes vote for this bill to be counted, those intending to vote 'aye' must submit a note from a mental health professional affirming that they are not using the vote in the manner in which it was intended.
You are, of course, assuming that future generations will be ABLE to read! With the constant cutbacks to education, I wouldn't count on it.
Debbie, freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. Nobody in the US should be forced to comply with any other person's religious opinions. That is a religious dictatorship, and that is what exists in Iran, among other places.
Do you support the Taliban in Afghanistan? They treat women the way you do, forcing them to comply with religious opinions. That makes you an official American Taliban.
is exactly the same. I call them uneducated and underinformed white trash. Try getting a good Dem in here, it is nearly impossible. Can't wait to leave this "Taliban hovel".
I am a Christian and Jesus is my savior but I also believe in the seperation of church and state! These right-wing nuts do not! They are the Christian Taliban! Thier draconian vicious agenda is the antithesis of freedom!
The republicans are the enemy of the poor, middle class, women, and minorities! Vote Democratic!
Let's examine this by turning this around. If a man was experiencing a condition like ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, would he want his employer to demand proof just so they could approve coverage for him? Think of what that would do to viagra sales.
cvbn
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