SB 374, Revise Parental Notice Laws, Sen. Perry
MT's entire parental notification law was struck down as unconstitutional in 1998, and SB 374 does not amend that law to make it constitutional. Even if SB 374 did enact parental notification, it could not ensure greater family communication at difficult times. Some teens live in troubled homes. A notification law would put vulnerable teenagers in harm’s way or force them to go to court. Teens facing crisis pregnancies don’t need a judge; they need access to caring medical professionals and counselors.
STATUS: SB 374 passed out of the Senate 29-21, but failed on a tie vote in the House Judiciary Committee. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/30/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
SB 46, Protection of Unborn Life as Compelling State Interest, Sen. McGee
This bill seeks to amend Article II, Section 10, of the Montana Constitution to state that the protection of the unborn human life is a “compelling state interest.” This amendment would single out a certain class of citizens, all pregnant women, to lose their constitutional right to privacy.
STATUS: SB 46 passed out of the Senate 28-22, and was heard in House Judiciary 3/13/09, and failed on a tie vote on 3/27/09. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/30/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
SB 406, Constitutionally Define Person, Sen. McGee
This legislation mirrors Rep. Rick Jore’s 2007 failed piece of legislation, HB 203, and the failed 2008 ballot initiative CI-100. This amendment attempts to redefine when life begins in our state constitution as fertilization. McGee’s amendment would dramatically change Montana’s constitution and jeopardize the health of all the important women in our lives.
STATUS: SB 406 passed out of the Senate after two blast motions, 26-24. There was a hearing in House Judiciary 3/26/09 and failed on a tie vote on 3/27/09. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/30/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
SB 327, Protection for Mothers to Be, Sen. Curtiss
This bill seeks to define “unborn child” as a human who is conceived but is not yet born. The Montana Legislature should focus on prosecuting violence against pregnant women without political overtones. The loss of a wanted pregnancy is a terrible and traumatic event, and our laws should reflect that reality. We should protect pregnant women – and we can do so without becoming entangled in the abortion debate.
STATUS: SB 327 passed out of the Senate after being heavily amended, 34-16. SB 327 was heard in House Judiciary on March 20 and failed on a tie vote on 3/27/09. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/30/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
SB 497, Creating the crime of obstructing a protest at a health care facility, Sen. Shockley
This bill amends current law enforcing an eight foot bubble that protects patients entering and exiting clinics from harassment by giving protectors a similar bubble of protection. This bill is not only unnecessary but would likely increase altercations in front of clinics rather than promoting safety. Patients are not inciting violence at clinics. We should not be passing unnecessary bills that target patients for lawfully accessing reproductive health care.
STATUS: SB 497 passed the Senate 33-17, was heard in House Judiciary on March 20. Tabled in committee.
SB 142, Repeal Unisex Insurance Law Provisions, Sen. Perry
In Montana, insurance plans must cover birth control, mammograms, and maternity care. This bill would eliminate current mandates for maternity care and contraceptive coverage in health insurance plans and would allow insurers to charge men and women different premiums based on gender.
STATUS: SB 142 passed the Senate 27-23. It was heard in House Business and Labor on March 25 and failed on a tie vote on 3/28/09. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/31/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
*NEW BILL: HB 661, Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, Rep. Boniek
This bill was tagged as a revenue bill, making it not subject to the regular deadlines for bill introduction. This bill is a "TRAP" law, or Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers. TRAP laws single out the medical practices of doctors who provide abortion care, and impose on them requirements that are different and more burdensome than those imposed on other medical practices. These laws increase the cost and scarcity of abortion services, harming women's health and inhibiting their reproductive choices.
STATUS: HB 661 was heard in House Judiciary on March 24 and failed on a tie vote on 3/27/09. There was a motion to 'blast' the bill on 3/30/09. It failed to get the required number of votes to pass.
SJ 27 - Oppose the Federal Freedom of Choice Act, Senator Balyeat
This bill would have asked the Montana Legislature to oppose the federal Freedom of Choice Act, a bill that has not passed in Congress, and does not have the votes to pass. This bill is part of a nationwide movement to attack President Obama and distract from the good work pro-choice groups are doing prevent unintended pregnancies and increase access to health care.
STATUS: SJ 27 died on a tie vote in Senate Judiciary.
PRO-CHOICE LEGISLATION
HB 596 – Healthy Teens Act, Rep. Henry
The Office of Public Instruction’s existing successful HIV/AIDS Prevention Program would have been expanded to include teen pregnancy prevention, healthy relationships and other STI/STD prevention. Through existing structures, OPI and DPHHS would provide school administrators and teachers with training, technical assistance, materials, workshops and continuing education opportunities.
To increase youth involvement in teen pregnancy prevention and STD/STI prevention, students who go through training under the program would act as peer educators to their school and community, helping to reduce risky behaviors.
STATUS: HB 596 was tabled in House Human Services on party-line vote, a motion to blast the bill out of committee failed 51-49.
HB 281 – Remove prohibition of birth control in CHIP, Rep. Hunter
Montana CHIP is a healthcare provider for low-income young women up to age 19. In 2007, 2,083 teens between ages 15-19 were covered by CHIP. Montana is one of only four states that prohibit the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Plan from covering prescription contraceptives.
While Montana’s CHIP program does not cover any form of contraceptives for the purposes of birth control, it readily covers prenatal care, childbirth and newborn care. In 2007, CHIP was billed $332,358 for 34 births.
STATUS: HB 281 was tabled in House Human Services on a party line vote
HB 284 - Montana Pharmacy Patient Protection Act, Rep. Dickenson
Montanans support access to birth control for the women in our state. They believe women should be able to walk into a pharmacy with a legal prescription and walk out with the medication.
This bill attempted to address pharmacy refusals and establish guidelines for pharmacies that balance a pharmacists’ conscience with the health care of the women in our communities.
STATUS: HB 284 was tabled in House Business and Labor on party line vote
HB 307 – Prescription exception when drug not available locally, Rep. Roberts
This bill allows a health care provider to dispense a drug if the local pharmacist does not carry it. This bill would improve access to birth control in rural communities if they have a pharmacist refusing to fill birth control prescriptions.
STATUS: HB 307 was tabled in House Human Services, but was blasted on to 2nd reading, passed out of the House by a vote of 66-34. It passed out of Senate Public Health Welfare and Safety by a vote of 7-0. It has passed out of the Senate with a vote of 44-6.
HB 307 passed the Legislature and Signed by the Governor on April 6, 2009, becoming law.
