Morning Roundup: Alaska, Wisconsin, and 16 and Loved

Beth Saunders

Alaska wants a judge to reconsider the ruling on a parental notification law, show your support for teens speaking out about pregnancy termination, and Wisconsin raises the income limit for free birth control.

Alaska wants a judge to reconsider the ruling on a parental notification law, show your support for teens speaking out about pregnancy termination, and Wisconsin raises the income limit for free birth control. Also, a reminder that Rewire will only be publishing intermittently between now and January 3rd. Have a safe and healthy New Year!

  • The state of Alaska is asking a judge to reconsider his decision that stripped the state’s parental notification law of any punitive measures. The law, which requires parents of a woman younger than 18 to be notified of her decision to terminate a pregnancy, went into effect last week, despite attempts from Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest to block it.
  • Another reminder of MTV’s “No Easy Decision” special coming up on Tuesday night. The program deals with three young women who have terminated their pregnancies. Exhale has created a “16 & Loved” campaign to support the teens who came forward to tell their stories. Show your support by joining a “watch-in” on Facebook, participating in a live blog of the show, or tweet about it using #16andloved.
  • Wisconsin is the first state to raise the income limit for free birth control after approval from the federal government. “The family planning program, which also provides screening for sexually transmitted diseases, had been available to those making 200% above the federal poverty level. The changes approved Thursday raise eligibility to 300% of the federal poverty level, making it available to individuals who earn up to $32,490 a year.” Republicans are taking over the Wisconsin state legislature and governor’s office next month, however, and have stated their intent to “pare it back” as much as possible. According to Lon Newman, Executive Director of Family Planning Health Services, “It is a great victory toward achieving universal access to reproductive health care.”

Dec 24

Dec 23