Author: Feminist Newswire

The Feminist Newswire has provided a daily feminist perspective on national, global, and campus news stories since 1995. You can receive a weekly feminist news digest when you subscribe here.

Anti-Abortion Activist Hired for North Carolina Health Policy Position

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently hired an anti-abortion activist as a senior policy advisor. The hiring comes at a time when the agency is rewriting state rules regarding access to abortion.

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via Shutterstock

Margaret “Mardy” Peal, who has been away from the health policy field for more than a decade, previously served on the board of the anti-abortion Carolina Pregnancy Center, which emphasizes Christian scripture and abstinence. She was an early organizer for the conservative Eastern North Carolina Tea Party, and she contributed over $1,000 to current Republican Governor Pat McCrory’s 2012 campaign. In the past, she has been highly critical of government spending on Medicaid, which is one of the programs that she will oversee.

This hire is the latest in a string of politically charged hiring decisions at the agency, reports the News Observer. Earlier this year, DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos hired a woman to be director of North Carolina’s pre-kindergarten and child-care subsidy programs although she had previously led an organization that opposed formal pre-K programs. The woman eventually withdrew after public outcry.

On Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory gave his full support to Wos and suggested that he would not intervene in the decision to hire Peal. “I’m not going to get distracted into the detailed operations which my secretaries are responsible for making those hires.”

Media Resources: News Observer 9/18/2013; San Francisco Chronicle 9/18/2013

 

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

US Federal Appeals Court Rules For-Profit Must Cover Contraception

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The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on Tuesday that Autocam Corporation, a for-profit entity that provides manufacturing services for automotive and medical industries, must comply with the Affordable Care Act’s contraception coverage mandate.

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via Shutterstock

Autocam claimed that providing contraception coverage in their health care plans at no extra cost for employees violates their religious rights. The Sixth Circuit rejected Autocam’s arguments and determined thatsecular, for-profit corporations are not protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a federal law protecting religious exercise rights from federal laws that burden those rights.

Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, said in a statement following the decision: “Religious liberty is a fundamental right, and everyone should be free to practice their beliefs as they see fit. However, companies cannot break the law by withholding coverage for health services just because they have a religious objection. Nearly every woman uses contraception at some point in her life. This law ensures that employers do not discriminate against their workers by making it difficult for them to obtain the care they need.”

Over 40 secular, for-profit corporations, have alleged that providing contraception coverage in their employee health care plans at no cost violates their religious rights, and a total of 70 federal lawsuits have been filed by opponents to the birth control benefit. Federal courts across the country have been split on whether or not secular, for-profit businesses can be exempt from compliance, suggesting that the Supreme Court will be forced to rule on the issue soon.

Media Resources: RH Reality Check 9/17/2013; US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Opinions 9/17/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Labor Regulations Extended to Home Care Workers

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Yesterday, the Department of Labor announced that it will extend minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers, the majority of whom are women and people of color. Almost two million home care workers– such as home health aides, personal care aides, and certified nursing assistants – will now be covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act when the regulations go into effect on January 1, 2015.

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via Shutterstock

According to the Department of Labor, “the home care industry has grown dramatically over the last several decades as more Americans choose to receive long-term care at home instead of in nursing homes or other facilities.” Despite this growth, home care workers are still the lowest paid in the service industry. Only 15 states provide both minimum wage and overtime protections.

“Today, the Department of Labor took an important step towards stabilizing one of America’s fastest-growing workforces, and one made up predominantly of women, women of colors, and immigrants,” said Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Co-Director of the Caring Across Generations campaign. “This change is a long overdue show of respect for women in the workplace and for the important work of supporting seniors and people with disabilities.” About 90 percent of home care workers are women, and half are minorities.

These jobs were previously considered “companionship services,” which are exempt from minimum wage and overtime protections. Under the new rule, the companionship exemption will no longer apply to workers who receive training to perform medically-related services while caring for the elderly and people with illness, injuries, and disabilities. However, not all workers will be protected – only those employed by home care agencies and other third parties. Workers who are employed directly by the person receiving services, or by that person’s family, will still be exempt from protections.

Media Resources: Los Angeles Times 9/17/2013; US Department of Labor; National Domestic Workers Alliance 9/17/2013

 

Millions of Americans Will Pay Under $100 Monthly for Obamacare Coverage

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According to a report from the US Department of Health and Human Services released today, about 6.4 million Americans will be able to buy health insurance for $100 or less per month using the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace.

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via Shutterstock

Starting on October 1, people will be able to shop for coverage and compare their options side by side through their state’s Health Insurance Marketplace. The marketplace makes it easier for people to compare prices, quality, and benefits of different plans, and to see if they qualify for tax credits or Medicaid.

About 56 percent of currently uninsured individuals may qualify for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or tax credits to purchase coverage for $100 or less per month. The report also shows that if all 50 states expand Medicaid, then up to 78 percent of currently uninsured people could qualify. Only 25 states have decided to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act provision that gives states full federal funding to expand their Medicaid programs to cover people who make up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, “The health care law is making health insurance more affordable. With more than half of all uninsured Americans able to get coverage at $100 or less, the health care law is delivering the quality, affordable coverage people are looking for.”

Coverage purchased through the marketplace will begin on January 1, 2014.

Media Resources: Think Progress 9/17/2013; Department of Health and Human Services 9/17/2013

Rape Survivor Settles Lawsuit with Wesleyan and Fraternity

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A former Wesleyan University student who was sexually assaulted in 2010 at a fraternity house, nicknamed by students the “rape factory,” has settled a $10 million lawsuit against the university and the fraternity chapter. An order for dismissal was filed on August 30 by District Court Judge Robert N. Chatigny, stating the parties had settled the lawsuit. The woman was locked in a room and raped at a Halloween party at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, known as Beta House, when she was a freshman.

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The lawsuit, filed in October 2012, alleged that Wesleyan officials were aware of numerous student injuries and sexual assaults that took place at the house, but failed to sufficiently warn or protect students. The victim did not know about the house’s history.

The lawsuit also alleged that Wesleyan violated Title IX by not protecting the woman against harassment and discrimination. After the victim reported her assault, Wesleyan banned students from using the house, which sparked campus-wide protests. She could hear protesters outside of her dorm, so she was traumatized, forced to hide in her room, and missed classes. She eventually took a medical leave and transferred to another school, in part because she claims Wesleyan officials did little to help her after she was raped.

The rapist plead no contest to charges of third-degree assault and first-degree unlawful restraint in June 2012, and he is now serving a 15-month prison sentence. He was a friend of a fraternity member, not a member himself, and he did not attend Wesleyan.

Media Resources: Boston.com 9/10/2013; The Courant 9/10/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Supreme Court to Decide New Abortion Pill Case

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An Oklahoma law that could outlaw all drug-induced abortions – and could have a sweeping impact on other abortion laws across the nation – is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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The 2011 law requires doctors to follow exact FDA protocol when prescribing patients Mifiprex, the abortion-inducing drug. FDA regulations for the drug were created in 2000 and one of those guidelines is that doctors must administer 600-milligrams. Pro-choice advocates say, however, that since 2000, doctors have found that a lower dose is just as effective and costs less.

The law was struck down by both an Oklahoma County District Judge and the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Media Resources: The Oklahoman 9/14/2013; Slate 9/10/2013; FOX25 9/15/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Washington DC Mayor Vetoes Large Retailer Wage Bill

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Washington, DC mayor Vincent Gray vetoed a bill Thursday that would have forced big retailers, like Walmart and Target, to pay wages higher than the capital’s current minimum of $8.25.

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The bill, titled the Large Retailer Accountability Act and called a “job killer” by Gray, was passed by the city council two months ago. It targeted non-unionized stores with over 75,000 square feet of space and operated by companies with revenue of $1 billion per year. The stores would have been required to pay $12.50 an hour, which would have raised the annual earnings of a full-time employee from $17,000 to $26,000.

Executive Director of the labor group Jobs with Justice, Sarita Gupta, said, “This bill would have positive ripple effects across the entire District economy, because studies have shown that low-wage workers are more likely to spend extra money on local goods and services.” However, Gray called the bill a “job killer.” Walmart has proposed opening six stores in D.C. with the potential to employ up to 1,800 people, but they opposed the bill.

Backers of the bill will now try to override Gray’s veto in a council hearing on Tuesday. The bill originally passed the council in an 8-5 vote, and nine votes will be needed to override a veto.

Media Resources: The Washington Post 9/12/2013; Al Jazeera 9/12/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Australia Will Debate Personhood Law

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If a new proposal in the Australian state of South Wales becomes law, women who abort a fetus after 20 weeks could be charged with grievous bodily harm.

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Australian women’s groups are calling this proposal to give a fetus personhood rights the first step toward making abortion illegal in the state. It was set to be debated by the state parliament yesterday, but has been delayed until next week so pro-choice advocates can discuss ramifications of such a law with legislators.

“This bill established personhood for a foetus [sic] and this is a very concerning precedent to be setting,” said Melanie Fernandez, chair of the Women’s Electoral Lobby Australia. “That kind of precedent has been used as a first starting point to roll back abortion right in other places, such as states in America.”

The bill is being called “Zoe’s law,” named for a 32-week-old unborn fetus that died when the mother was hit by a car in 2009. Because South Wales did not view the fetus as a person, the driver was not charged with its murder. He was charged with driving under the influence and causing “grievous bodily harm.”

Media Resources: ABC 9/12/2013; The Guardian 9/12/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Over 100 Women Arrested While Protesting House Inaction on Immigration Reform

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Over 100 women were arrested yesterday in Washington, D.C. after blocking the intersection outside of the United States House of Representatives to protest the House’s inaction on immigration reform.

via Matti Keltanen
via Matti Keltanen

The 104 women included 20 undocumented immigrants, the largest number of undocumented immigrant women to willingly submit to arrest. The women came from 20 states across the US. Another 200 supporters stood witness for the group, and 300 women and children gathered for a press conference before the protest.

The act of civil disobedience was organized to demand immigration reform that takes the priorities of women and children into account. According to America’s Voice, “Currently, 51% of undocumented immigrants are women, but less than one-third of employment visas are issued to immigrant women each year. Seventy percent of immigrant women therefore enter the US through the family visa system, which is so backlogged that women and children can wait decades to be reunited with their families.” Protesters demanded an immigration reform bill that includes a roadmap to citizenship for women and children, keeps families together, protects victims of violence and workplace abuse, protects the health of women and children, and does not focus on enforcement. The bill currently in question has a path to citizenship, but it focuses heavily on increasing enforcement and militarization.

The co-chair of We Belong Together: Women for Common Sense Immigration Reform, Pramila Jayapal, said, “Each one of us here today understands what incredibly high stakes we are talking about–immigration reform is not just a piece of legislation but the ability for us to take care of our families. Women contribute every day to our families, our economy and our country. Immigration reform is about being able to live, breathe free, and remember the values that brought us all here in the first place: democracy, freedom, and justice.”

Media Resources: America’s Voice 9/12/2013; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health Press Releases 9/12/2013; Feministing 9/12/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Domestic Workers’ Rights Bill Heads to California Governor’s Desk

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A bill that would protect the rights of domestic workers has passed the California State Senate and is now on its way to Gov. Jerry Brown’s (D) desk.

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The Domestic Worker Bill of Rights would give labor protections to those who work in homes as housekeepers, caregivers to the elderly and disabled, and nannies. The legislation would ensure workers receive overtime pay, food and rest breaks and access to kitchen facilities. Live-in workers would also be guaranteed at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.

According to the National Domestic Workers Alliance, 90 percent of domestic workers in California don’t have formal contracts and don’t have overtime or break provisions.

According to ThinkProgress, 25 percent are paid below the minimum wage and only 2 percent have employer-provided health insurance.

“That leads to acute financial hardship,” they report. “Over 60 percent say their wages are lower than what they need to support a family and nearly the same percentage spend more than half of their income on rent. Almost a quarter had no food to eat in the last month because they couldn’t afford to buy it.”

A similar bill was vetoed last year by Gov. Brown, who said the legislation would be too expensive to implement.

Media Resources: Domesticworkers.org; ThinkProgress, 9/12/2013; ThinkProgress, 10/1/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Judge Declares Indiana’s Anti-Labor Law Unconstitutional

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Indiana state Superior Court judge John Sedia recently ruled that Indiana’s “right-to-work” law is unconstitutional.

igor kisselev / Shutterstock.com
igor kisselev / Shutterstock.com

The law, passed in 2012, requires unions to represent workers who do not pay dues, which reduces union funds and workers’ ability to negotiate. In a case filed by The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 in Lake County, Indiana, Sedia ruled that this provision goes against the state constitution’s ban on delivering services without compensation.

While conservatives claim these laws boost the economy, workers suffer. According to the Economic Policy Institute, these laws do not create jobs, they reduce all workers’ wages by about $1,500 per year, and workers in anti-union states are less likely to receive health insurance and pensions through employers.

Local 150 president and business manager James M. Sweeney said in a statement, “This is a victory for the middle class. These laws are nothing but thinly veiled tools to weaken unions, and this is a big win for workers who rely on unions to provide decent wages and benefits.”

The case may now go to the United States Supreme Court, where the anti-labor law is expected to be upheld. The Indiana constitutional clause in question has historically only applied to individuals, so the Supreme Court would have to be convinced to apply it to unions as well in order to strike it down.

Media Resources: Detroit Free Press 9/10/2013; Think Progress 9/10/2013; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 Press Release 9/8/2013; Indianapolis Star 9/10/2013

Republicans Push Plan to Further Cut Food Stamps

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Majority Leader Eric Cantor is pushing a Republican plan to cut $40 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as food stamps, over the next ten years. The proposed cuts would be on top of a benefit reduction for all SNAP households that will go into effect in November. The plan is expected to go to the House floor in the next few days.

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In a detailed report published on Friday, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says this cut could push up to six million Americans out of the program, “primarily by eliminating states’ ability to secure waivers for high-unemployment areas from SNAP’s austere rule that limits benefits for jobless adults without children to just three months out of every three years.” This comes at a time when 14.5% of US households already have trouble putting meals on the table, and when 22% or more children live in food insecure households. That number iseven higher in areas like the District of Columbia, where 30% of children do not have consistent access to food.

The number of SNAP recipients increased in June 2013 to over 47 million participants, according to the Food Research and Action Center. One in seven people living in the US received SNAP benefits. The typical family that qualifies for SNAP is a working mother with two young children who has monthly earnings slightly above SNAP’s monthly gross income limit, but limited disposable income for food due to necessary costs like rent and childcare. For these families and others with even lower incomes, “SNAP benefits stand between them and destitution,” according to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The cuts could also affect 20% of the veterans receiving SNAP assistance, and it could prevent 210,000 children from qualifying for free school meals.

Media Resources: The Atlantic 9/10/2013; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 9/6/2013; Children’s Health Watch; Feeding America Child Hunger Facts; Food Research and Action Center 6/2013

California Governor Signs 3 Bills Related to Rape, Domestic Violence

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California Governor Jerry Brown signed three bills yesterday related to rape and domestic violence.

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The first bill, AB 65, closes a loophole in California rape law by clarifying that someone who impersonates another person in order to coerce someone into sexual activity can be prosecuted for rape. The bill is in response to a recent Los Angeles County Court of Appeals decision to overturn a conviction for a man who raped a young woman, who at first thought the man was her boyfriend. According to the Los Angeles Times, when overturning the conviction, the court cited a 19th-century law that limited rape charges to cases in which only married women were tricked by impersonators. The “bill would instead provide that these types of rape and sodomy occur where the person submits under the belief that the person committing the act is someone known to the victim other than the accused.”

Assemblywoman and chairwoman of the Legislative Women’s Caucus Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) said in a press release, “Every victim deserves justice, regardless of their relationship status.”

Brown also signed AB 157, which will make false impersonation on the internet a criminal act of domestic violence, and AB 161, which will allow courts to ban domestic abusers from changing any insurance policies shared with their partners.

AB 65 will go into effect immediately, and the other two will go into effect on July 1, 2014.

Media Resources: Los Angeles Times 9/9/2013; RH Reality Check 1/4/2013; Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal Press Release 9/9/2013; California Legislative Information

Birth Control Access Brings US Teen Birth Rate to All-Time Low

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The rate of US teens aged 15 to 19 who gave birth in 2012 is the lowest on record since the government began collecting such data 73 years ago.

A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that although the overall national birth rate remained the same, there was a six percent drop in the number of teen births from 2011 in 2012. The number has been steadily declining since 1991. The teen birth rate is now less than half than it was in 1970, when it peaked at 644,708. (The US numbers, however, are still much higher than those in other industrialized countries like Switzerland, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, and Spain.) The decline in children born to teen mothers was recorded using birth certificate data and occurred across racial and ethnic groups.

In a landscape where the median age for women to first have sex has decreased since 1988, it is likely that the lower rate of teen births is heavily shaped by birth control access and information, and particularly the use of IUDs. “There is not much evidence of a change in abortion use and not much change in sexual activity,” Dr. John Santelli of Columbia University told NBC. “What we have seen is greater availability of much more effective birth control methods.”

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Media Resources: ThinkProgress 9/6/2013; US News & World Report 9/6/2013; NBC News 9/6/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Iowa Board of Health Bans Telemedicine Abortions

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The Iowa Board of Health voted to ban the nation’s largest telemedicine abortion program last Friday, effectively limiting reproductive health access to thousands of rural women. The decision follows a decision in 2010 by Iowa’s Republican Gov. Terry Branstad in which he replaced all 10 members of the nonpartisan medical Board of Health with anti-choice advocates.

Iowa’s telemedicine abortion program allows women to consult with doctors through video technology before being prescribed the abortion-inducing pill and has been heralded as a safe and effective form of reproductive health care since its implementation five years ago.

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According to Planned Parenthood, staff members at 15 remote clinics perform standard tests on the patients. A doctor reviews those records before meeting with the woman over the videoconferencing system. If the doctor deems she is a valid candidate the medicine, she is given it at the clinic. Patients report being just as satisfied after speaking with the doctor via video feed as they are in-person.

Since 2008, Iowa’s telemedicine program has helped an estimated 3,000 rural women obtain safe and legal abortions.

Media Resources: CBN 9/3/2013; ThinkProgress 9/3/2013, 8/29/2013

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UMD Set to Launch Sexual Assault Prevention Program

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The University of Maryland, College Park is preparing to roll out a sexual assault prevention pilot program that could soon be mandated for all incoming students.

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via Shutterstock

The program, dubbed Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP), will reach 300 to 600 of this fall’s incoming freshman students. VIP gives students a comprehensive education on sexual assault and rape culture, including bystander intervention techniques that students can use on campus to eradicate sexual violence.

It’s set to begin in late within the next month, and Maryland’s University Senate will vote in October on whether or not to expand the pilot program to reach every new student. Activists expect a full mandate to be approved.

The program was created by sexual assault survivor Lauren Redding this past spring during her last semester at the university. Redding now works as the Feminist Majority Foundation’s online communications associate and is leading the creation of FMF’s first campus sexual violence prevention campaign.

Media Resources: The Diamondback 9/4/3013, 5/11/2013, 2/4/2013

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More Texas Planned Parenthood Clinics Close

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Planned Parenthood closed two rural Texas clinics last week. On top of providing cancer screenings, contraceptives, and preventive exams, the now-closed clinic in Midland provided surgical abortions, and the clinic in San Angelo provided medication abortions. Together, the clinics saw over 3,000 patients each year who will now have to travel elsewhere for reproductive health services. 

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According to Dallas News, “a major reason for shuttering the clinics is that their doctors are having trouble getting admitting privileges at local hospitals–a new legal requirement that goes into effect at the end of next month.” Under the new law, abortion providers must have admitting privileges in hospitals within 30 miles from their clinic. The requirement is part of a bill passed by the GOP-run legislature and Governor Rick Perry that imposes restrictive laws on abortion clinics. Five Texas abortion clinics have closed in the past three years, and five others are expected to close soon, due to exclusion from state funding for women’s health and an inability to comply with the new requirements.

Fortunately, the Perot Foundation, founded by Ross Perot, former conservative presidential candidate,announced last week that it was giving one million dollars to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. Margot Perot said, “Our family has supported this nonprofit for many years because we are impressed with the work they do–providing birth control; scientifically based education; breast health exams; and basic, life-saving healthcare for women who cannot afford services otherwise.” She added, “We also recognize the need to further inform the public of the mission of this great organization and the need to support it at this critical time.”

Media Resources: RH Reality Check 9/4/2013; Dallas News 9/5/2013; North Dallas Gazette 8/29/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

Boston Public Schools Will Offer All Students Free Meals

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This year, Boston Public Schools (BPS) will make free lunch and breakfast meals available to all students regardless of their income status.

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Over the summer, BPS and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education joined the “Community Eligibility Option,” a national program that waives meal fees for all children and, in return, gives participating cities federal reimbursements. The program, part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, is currently available in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and it is being implemented in other cities including Atlanta, New York City, and Detroit. Boston will be the largest city to have the program.

Seventy-eight percent of BPS students already qualify for free or reduced-price meals because of their income status, and many who do not qualify fall just beyond the income limits. Previously, families had to complete paperwork to qualify. With the Community Eligibility Option, all children will receive free breakfast and lunch without having to turn in forms, and families will save around $405 to $455 per child per year.

BPS Interim Superintendent John McDonough said in a statement, “Children can focus on learning when they are well-fed, and families can focus on education when they don’t have to budget for school meals every week.”

Mayor Thomas M. Menino also said, “Every child has a right to healthy, nutritious meals in school, and when we saw a chance to offer these healthy meals at no cost to them, we jumped at the chance. This takes the burden of proof off our low-income families and allows all children, regardless of income, to know healthy meals are waiting for them at school every day.”

Media Resources: Think Progress 9/4/2013; Boston Public Schools 9/3/2013

This post was originally published on the Feminist Newswire. If you’d like, you can subscribe to the Feminist News digest for a weekly recap of our newswire stories.

California Bill Expanding Abortion Access Sent to Governor

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California lawmakers sent a bill to Governor Jerry Brown on Friday that, if signed, will expand access to first-trimester abortion care. The bill was approved by the state Senate on Monday.

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Assembly Bill 154, written by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), will allow nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified midwives to perform abortions within the first 12 weeks of a woman’s pregnancy. The bill requires that those performing abortions are in contact with supervising physicians, but physicians will not actually have to be present for the procedure. Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Vermont have similar laws.

The bill aims to expand access to abortion in rural areas where a lack of doctors and clinics makes it difficult to obtain the procedure. More than half of the counties in California do not have an abortion provider. Atkins said in a press release, “Timely access to reproductive health services is critical to women’s health. AB 154 will ensure that no woman has to travel excessively long distances or wait for long periods in order to obtain an early abortion.”

The bill is sponsored by the California Medical Association and the California Women’s Health Alliance, a coalition of groups such as Planned Parenthood, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice and Black Women for Wellness.

Media Resources: Assemblymember Toni Atkins Press Releases 8/26/2013, 8/30/2013; California Legislative Information; Los Angeles Times 8/30/2013

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Naval Academy Rape Hearing Expected to End Today

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After a week of testimony, a preliminary rape hearing by the US Naval Academy is expected to end today. After the hearing, presiding officer Commander Robert Monahan will make a recommendation to the academy superintendent on whether the case will go to a general court-martial. The decision may take one to two weeks.

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Three Naval Academy football players are charged with raping a female midshipman in April 2012 when she was intoxicated at an off-campus party in Annapolis, Maryland. The victim says she did not know what happened until she learned about the assault from friends and posts on social media. The three men are also being charged with making false statements.

The victim has given 20 hours of testimony, including responding to questions by defense attorneys about her clothing and behavior on the night of the rape. The victim’s attorney, Susan Burke, is a leading attorney-advocate against military sexual assault. On the stand, Burke said about her client, “I want to sound the alarm. The Naval Academy did not do an adequate job of protecting her.”

The case takes place as the military faces increased pressure to improve the way it deals with sexual harassment and assault. About 26,000 service members said they received unwanted sexual contact last year, but only 3,374 incidents were reported, according to the Defense Department.

Media Resources: Reuters 9/3/2013; Washington Post 9/2/2013.

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