Tell the Senate Public Safety & Human Services Committee to VOTE NO on SB1138 & SB1206!

TAKE ACTION NOW to Protect Women's Health!

Anti-choice legislators are aggressively pushing Senate Bills (SB) 1206 and 1138, companion bills to two pieces of legislation already approved by the House of Representatives.  If adopted, these bills will be sent to Governor Brewer and surely become law.  SB 1206 and SB 1138 will be voted on in the Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee TOMORROW!

SB 1206 is a far-reaching, broad bill that will undermine the ability of women to access health care. This bill has a number of draconian components that are designed to interfere with a woman's right to obtain abortion care. Everything from forced, biased counseling and a government imposed waiting period, to allowing medical providers and hospitals to deny you critical health care services and information. Medical professionals are even allowed to deny us information about and access to emergency contraception and other medications.

SB 1138 is an attempt to duplicate a current federal law with a prohibition on certain abortion procedures which are already illegal in Arizona, as in the rest of the nation. There is no need for state law to duplicate federal law and this law will not prevent even one abortion in Arizona.

These bills must be stopped in the Senate to keep them from reaching Governor Brewer’s desk.  Please ask the Arizona Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee to VOTE NO on SB 1206 and SB 1138 today!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please VOTE NO on SB1206 & SB1138

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to you today to urge you to vote no on SB 1206, the bill that seeks to deny women access to abortion care and SB 1138, the abortion ban bill.

These bills will do absolutely nothing other than erect barriers to health care access. If we really want to make a difference in the number of unplanned pregnancies in Arizona, we must provide people with the vital information necessary to prevent unintended pregnancies from occurring in the first place.

SB 1206 is a broad, far-reaching bill designed to restrict women's access to reproductive health care and birth control. It contains a number of draconian components that do nothing but interfere with a woman's right to obtain abortion care.

Everything from mandated, biased counseling and a government imposed waiting period, to allowing medical providers and hospitals to deny us critical health care services and information is included in this bill. Medical professionals are even allowed to refuse us information about and access to emergency contraception.

This bill creates undue burdens in accessing care that do not apply to any other medical procedures.

We all want to reduce the need for abortion, but we must address this problem at its root, by addressing the epidemic that is unplanned pregnancy.

Instead, I encourage you to pass HB 2544, a bill that will require Arizona schools to provide complete and responsible sex education to our youth.

We should all be a part of the solution and SB 1206 and SB 1138 are not a solution to any problem.

Please VOTE NO on SB 1206 and SB 1138.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 09, 2009


Background Information

SB 1206:

SB 1206 mounts multiple ideologically-driven attacks on women’s right to choose safe, legal abortion and even on access to contraception. Under the guise of protecting the health and safety of women seeking abortion care, this bill creates numerous obstacles to women's ability to access the full range of reproductive-health options.

This bill will create an undue burden for women attempting to access care in rural areas by adding additional costs such as child care, travel and lost wages.  For instance, a woman coming from Yuma County to access care would spend an average $523.08 in additional costs as abortion care would no longer be available in that county.  Additional costs include travel (362 miles roundtrip), lodging and meals, child care, lost wages; all costs associated with the lack of providers and the 24 hour waiting period, necessitating an overnight trip or two roundtrip visits

This bill even jeopardizes women’s access to birth control! The bill advances an overly broad definition of “pregnancy” well beyond the bounds of what is currently medically accepted or understood. It therefore leaves open the possibility that medical professionals including pharmacies and hospitals will be able to refuse to provide contraceptive services.

Government will interfere in the doctor/patient relationship, and will mandate health care information.

As a result of these restrictions, women will delay their abortion care, increasing their health risks.

This bill does not solve any problems, these legislators want abortion care to be more expensive and less accessible, and as a result, it will be more dangerous.

This bill goes too far, is too extreme and puts women at risk with no regard for their well being.

SB 1138:

SB 1138 will not prevent one abortion in Arizona; what will prevent the need for abortion is access to comprehensive sexuality education and access to affordable birth control.

This bill duplicates federal law and changes nothing in Arizona.

Arizona lawmakers must focus on the issues that are currently distressing our local communities; they should work on finding real solutions to the state budget crisis and send a real budget to the Governor.