Bill to protect right to use contraception stalls in legislature

Shannon Heckt
·2 min read

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Louisiana lawmakers are mulling over protecting a person’s right to contraception in state law. Debate was halted Wednesday after some lawmakers wanted to clear up how some of the major lobbying groups stand on the legislation.

The House Health and Welfare Committee started the conversation around whether the state wanted to enshrine the right to contraception into state law. HB395 looked to prevent the legislature from passing laws that restrict the use of birth control, condoms, the morning after pill, and other contraceptives.

“There’s a big broad spectrum of chronic health care conditions that are affected by our fundamental right to utilize birth control. And we’re not here to talk about anything other than utilizing birth control,” Mary-Patricia Wray with Top Drawer Strategies.

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It wouldn’t have ensured access to it or made insurance companies cover the cost of contraception. The bill author said contraception already has federal protection through Supreme Court decisions, but she wanted it on the state law books.

“I would say that it provides clarity that any other statute or regulation that the state passes is not intended to interfere with the fundamental right to utilize,” Wray said.

There was confusion in the committee when the powerful anti-abortion rights lobby, Louisiana Right to Life, told some members they were against the bill. State Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, said when she discussed the bill with them, they did not take a position against it at the time.

“Now, being on the record of some confusion between, you know, where they stand and what was being discussed before. I’d ask Rep. Boyd, if you might consider a voluntary deferral,” State Rep. Jared Myers, R-Lafayette, said in committee.

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Despite an amendment being added making it so that any provider could opt out of prescribing contraceptives for any reason, lawmakers wanted more time to think about their votes and to speak to Right to Life about their position.

The bill was voluntarily deferred and is planned to be brought back next week for more debate.

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