July 2007 Newsletter
Greetings,Last week the State Assembly passed their appalling version of the budget-slashing women’s health care access. The anti-choice Assembly Republican budget: - Eliminates funding for the over 53 private family-planning providers in Wisconsin
- Deletes funding for preventive health care such as breast and cervical cancer screening through the Wisconsin well-woman program
- Eliminates funding for cervical cancer testing in rural areas
- Eliminates the Medicaid Family Planning Waiver program which provides family-planning services for low-income women
- Requires the state to apply for federal abstinence-only-until-marriage funding – wasting tax money on dangerous, ineffective programs that put teens at risk
- Rejects Governor Doyle’s BadgerCare Plus program which would ensure all of Wisconsin’s children have health care coverage
- Rejects the State Senate’s Healthy Wisconsin plan which would have provided every Wisconsin resident with the same health coverage that legislators receive
Once again, the extremist Assembly leadership is attacking women’s access to basic health care. Don’t let them get away with it! Call your legislator, send a letter to your local paper, tell your friends. Slashing funding for women's health care is terrible public policy, and wrong for Wisconsin. We’ll provide you with sample letters to send to the editor of your paper - just email communications@prochoicewisconsin.org.
Yours for Choice and Health, 
Kelda Helen Roys
Executive Director
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin
In this issue: - Birth Control Protection Act
- Healthy Wisconsin
Donate Items for the Roe v. Wade Celebration Talking About Choice
 Birth Control Protection Act
In theory, the concept is simple: a woman walks into a pharmacy with a birth control prescription from her doctor and should walk out with the medication – without intimidation, without delay, without a run-around. But in reality, there is a growing movement of Wisconsin pharmacists refusing to fill women’s legally prescribed birth control prescriptions. On July 12, the Birth Control Protection Act was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson and Representative Chris Sinicki. The Act requires a pharmacist, when presented with a prescription, to dispense a woman’s birth control without delay. It also amends the definition of abortion to clarify that abortion does not include any FDA-approved contraception. Pharmacies have a duty to dispense medications and have an ethical obligation not to endanger their patients’ health by withholding basic health care. Take Action!Ask your state representatives to support immediate access to birth control by co-sponsoring the Birth Control Protection Act.
Healthy Wisconsin On June 26, the State Senate passed a budget with a universal health care plan called Healthy Wisconsin. With the skyrocketing costs of health care, increasing number of uninsured women and families, and large number of families in bankruptcy because of hospital bills, this plan could improve access to health care for millions of women and families. NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin is working to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality, affordable reproductive health care. We have been tracking the many health care reform proposals to ensure that they emphasize preventive health and comprehensive reproductive care for women and families. To learn more about the State Senate’s plan, which would allow every Wisconsinite to have the same health care coverage that our state legislators enjoy, click here.
Donate Items for the 2008 Roe v. Wade Celebration The 2008 Roe v. Wade Celebration and Silent Auction is six months away, but we’re already planning for the event! We need your help to make the Silent Auction a success! If you own a business or have friends who support reproductive rights and own a business, we ask you to donate an item for the Silent Auction or solicit donations from others. Donations are tax deductive and help us raise crucial money for our campus organizing program, grassroots organizing efforts and local emergency contraception education initiatives. Suggested Silent Auction donation items: Weekend stays at hotels, B&Bs, and cabins Golf packages Spa packages Gift certificates for services Tickets to live performances Artwork Jewelry Gift certificates to restaurants Any other creative item you can think of
To donate an item, please contact Molly at events@prochoicewisconsin.org.
Talking About Choice Learn how to articulate your pro-choice values. In each newsletter, we will present a typical anti-choice statement, and show you how to effectively respond with the pro-choice facts! Anti-Choice Myth: Making contraception and abortion available to teenagers only encourages them to have sex. Pro-Choice Reality: Studies do not substantiate that claim. In fact, improved access to contraception does not increase sexual activity. Teens who learn about contraception in school have a lower rate of sexual activity than teens who are not given this information. Information and education are the best tools to help teens make responsible choices. Abstinence is an important option for teens. Yet with over 50% of teens becoming sexually active before they graduate high school, we have a responsibility to give them the information they need about how to make healthy, responsible choices.
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