NARAL Pro-Choice NH Opposes Bills Attacking Access to Contraception
CONCORD, NH - NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire, the state’s leading grassroots organization to protect reproductive rights, announced its opposition to proposed legislation attacking a women’s right to access emergency contraception (EC). House and Senate Committees will begin hearings on three separate bills pertaining to EC today. New attempts to limit access to EC come on the heels of the state’s new program that allows pharmacists to voluntarily dispense the medication directly to women, through a relationship with a licensed prescriber. HB 1492 would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill valid prescriptions for EC without liability, and relieve those pharmacists from the responsibility of referring the women to another pharmacy or transferring her prescription, and would not protect women from being subjected to lectures about the pharmacist’s personal beliefs. HB 1682 would require parental notification for minors seeking to access emergency contraception. Parental notification amendments were proposed during the 2005 EC debate and rejected by both the House and Senate. SB 343 is an omnibus version of the two proposed house bills. “The sponsors of these bills are the same legislators who oppose a woman’s right to choose abortion. Opposing abortion and opposing safe, effective ways to prevent unintended pregnancy just doesn’t make sense,” said Liza Dube, Political Director for NARAL Pro-Choice NH. “Young women have the most need for a contraceptive option that prevents pregnancy from occurring following unprotected sex, contraceptive failure or sexual assault. Putting up roadblocks to EC for young women only puts them at greater risk for unintended pregnancy.” “NARAL Pro-Choice NH believes that when a woman and her doctor have made the decision that a prescription for birth control is in her best interest, a third party has no right to override that decision,” said Dube. “If the sponsors’ concern was really protecting the personal beliefs of pharmacists, they would not be singling out a drug that is used only by women to prevent and treat conditions endured only by women.” Emergency contraception is a time-sensitive medication that can be taken within 5 days of unprotected sex, contraceptive failure or sexual assault to prevent pregnancy. EC does not cause abortion and will not affect an established pregnancy.
Contact: Liza Dube, Political Director
Office: 603.228.1224
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