On Monday, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed three anti-abortion bills into law, making abortion in Oklahoma nearly impossible to access. HB 2441 is a “heartbeat” bill, which prohibits abortion once a “fetal heartbeat” has been detected. It only makes exceptions for cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Any provider who performs an abortion […]
Biden Announces Reversal of Trump’s Domestic Gag Rule
On Wednesday, the Biden Administration announced that they would be taking steps to undo the Trump-era domestic “gag” rule, which prevented clinics that referred patients for abortions from receiving federal funding. The proposed Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule would revoke the Trump restrictions eventually, but not immediately. If implemented, the rule will […]
FDA Lifts Ban on Receiving Abortion Pill By Mail During Pandemic
On Tuesday, the Biden administration lifted the ban on receiving the pills required for medication abortion through the mail. The reprieve only applies for the duration of the pandemic but is still a major victory for abortion rights advocates. In a letter sent Monday, acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock said that the agency would stop […]
New Mexico Governor Signs Bill Requiring Paid Sick Leave
Last week, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill into law that will make New Mexico one of 15 states requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, regardless of the size of the business. The union-backed legislation guarantees that employees can accrue one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked—up […]
ACLU Files Suit On Behalf of Incarcerated Woman Seeking Abortion Care
On Friday, the ACLU of Nebraska filed a federal lawsuit seeking emergency action on behalf of an incarcerated woman who is being blocked from accessing abortion care. The woman is incarcerated at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (NCCW). ACLU argues in its lawsuit that the state official’s policy violates the woman’s constitutional right to […]
Arkansas Passes Bill Banning Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth
This week, Arkansas passed legislation that bans access to gender-affirming care for minors. The bill now goes to Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson to be signed into law. If signed, Arkansas will become the first state to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. The bill, misleadingly called the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, would prohibit […]
Nearly 200 Businesses Urge Congress To Enact Federal Paid Leave Program
In a letter sent to congressional leaders on Tuesday, nearly 200 businesses are calling for a permanent federal paid family and medical leave program to become part of any future economic recovery legislation passed by Congress. “We cannot emerge from this pandemic and remain one of only two countries in the world with no form […]
Biden Administration to Amend Trump Federal Family Planning Program Rules
The Biden administration has announced that it will rewrite the rules for the Title X federal family planning program put in place by Donald Trump, which forced Planned Parenthood and other independent clinics who provide abortion and reproductive health care to withdraw from the program in 2019. Trump’s changes to the program, which provides reproductive […]
Kansas Senate Passes Bill Targeting Trans Student-Athletes
On Wednesday, the Kansas Senate passed a bill banning transgender students from girls’ and women’s school sports. The measure passed 24-10, sending it to Kansas’ conservative House. Governor Laura Kelly referred to the bill as “regressive,” and said that the controversial policy could repel businesses from the state, which supporters dismissed. One legislator, Representative Stephanie […]
Arkansas Governor Signs Near-Total Abortion Ban into Law
This week Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson signed into law a near-total ban on all abortions in Arkansas, with the only exception being if the life of the pregnant person is in danger. “This is politics at its very worst,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, in a statement. “At a time […]
Chelsea Becker, Woman Incarcerated for Pregnancy Loss, Released on Bail
On Tuesday, a California Judge granted Chelsea Becker’s request to be released on her own recognizance, and she will enter a residential treatment facility upon release. Becker had a stillbirth in 2019, and at the time Kings County District Attorney Keith L. Fagundes claimed that the stillbirth was caused by methamphetamine use, on no scientific […]
US Reaches 500,000 COVID-19 Deaths After Nearly a Year
After nearly a year into the global pandemic, the U.S. has reached a dismal milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 related deaths. “The massive number and the loss of those people from our society has not been acknowledged,” said Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, an epidemiologist and former president of the American Public Health Association. “We cannot think […]
New Zealand Schools Will Begin Offering Free Menstrual Products to All Students
Today, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden announced that all schools will make free menstrual products available to students for the next three years in an effort to alleviate period poverty, the lack of access to menstrual products that negatively affects employment, education, and health. Arden’s announcement follows a six-month pilot program which involved 3,200 […]
Rep. Underwood, Rep. Adams, and Senator Booker Introduce Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to Address Maternal Mortality
This week, Congresswomen Lauren Underwood and Alma S. Adams and Senator Cory Booker, along with members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. The bill builds on existing legislation to address every dimension of the maternal health crisis in America comprehensively. The purpose of the bill is […]
Texas Judge Temporarily Blocks Order to Remove Planned Parenthood from Medicaid
A state judge has ruled to temporarily halt the expulsion of Planned Parenthood from the Texas Medicaid program. Planned Parenthood affiliates brought an emergency lawsuit against the order on Wednesday, asserting that the state failed to give proper notice. The change was set to take effect on Thursday of this week, but the temporary restraining […]
Biden and Senate Republicans Hold a Meeting to Discuss COVID Relief Plan
President Biden has proposed a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, and a group of Republican Senators have countered with a narrower $618 billion proposal. Both plans call for $160 billion to be put toward a national vaccination program, expansion of testing and equipment, and reimbursement of hospital medical providers. While the Republican plan matches the […]
Kansas Senate Voted to Put Anti-Abortion Question on the Ballot
On Thursday, the Kansas State Senate voted to pass a measure that will put an anti-abortion amendment on the ballot in 2022, asking voters to decide if the state constitution should say that there is no right to abortion, leaving the power to regulate abortion to the legislature. If passed, Kansas would join the four […]
Biden Executive Order Ends Global Gag Rule and Strengthens Health Care Access
Today, President Biden will sign a series of executive orders that will end the global gag rule which prevents nongovernmental organizations from receiving U.S. aid if they provide or recommend abortion care. They will also order a review and assessment of the Title X domestic gag rule, as well as strengthening access to the Affordable […]
Virginia Senate Passes Bill to Expand Abortion Access
On Friday, the Virginia state Senate passed a bill to remove the prohibition from the state code that bans private insurance plans on the state’s health insurance exchange from covering abortions, except in narrow circumstances. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond). This bill does not mandate that insurance carriers cover abortion care, […]
Biden Nominates Transgender Woman as Assistant Health Secretary at HHS
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden nominated Pennsylvania health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine as the assistant health secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If confirmed by the Senate, Levine will be the first transgender woman to hold the position. Levine was appointed to her current post by Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017 […]
