HB04-1175: A bill concerning the Availability of Emergency Contraception to a Survivor of a Sexual Assult, sponsored by Rep. Betty Boyd (D), was passed by the House HEWI Committee on January 28 and referred back to the House Committee of the Whole. If passed this bill would require:

* Hospitals to adopt protocols to inform a survivor of a sexual assault of the availability of emergency contraception

* Hospitals to offer to dispense the emergency contraception or refer the survivor to a pharmacy that can dispense the emergency contraception

* Additionally, the text of this bill would establish in statute, a change in the legal definition of pregnancy from that which begins 'at conception' to 'at implantation'.

I cannot support this bill, as it has no significant impact on the legal practice of what is titled 'emergency contraception' and would change, in statute, the very definition of pregnancy. Life begins at conception, which makes the practice of "emergency contraception," in reality, sometimes contraceptive and sometimes abortive. I also have concerns, after hearing the testimony of a sexual assault survivor who chose not to end her resulting pregnancy, of the mental and emotional stress such a decision creates. The witness testified, as she held her child in her arms, that she was not in any emotional, mental or physical state to make such a life decision. While those who suffer such an horrific ordeal need our support, protection and compassion, this bill tries to ignore the fact that sometimes this procedure takes a life.

HB04-1175 successfully passed through the House but was killed in the Senate State Affairs Committee on March 16, 2004.

Please watch for further updates on the progress of this measure.