In a 36-20 vote, the Georgia Senate passed a bill that would require insurance companies to pay for prescription contraceptives. The bill had already passed in the state’s House.
The bill’s Republican opponents argued that small businesses could not afford its mandate but were unsuccessful in attaching amendments that would limit the bill’s powers. State Senator and nurse Nadine Thomas commented, “If insurance companies can pay for Viagra, they can pay for contraceptives.”
Many women and other supporters gathered to witness the hour-long debate that preceded the vote and cheered when the vote was passed.
