The New York Legislature has approved a bill... (SB 3661) that would make emergency contraception available to all women in the state without a doctor's prescription. The measure -- which the state Assembly approved in January and the state Senate approved last month -- would allow pharmacists and nurses to dispense EC to women without a doctor's prescription by using blanket prescriptions issued by physicians, certified nurse midwives or certified nurse practitioners that do not name a specific patient. The measure also would allow the pills to be dispensed to patients of any age without parental consent. The state Assembly has until the end of the first week in August to send the bill to Gov. George Pataki (R), who then will have about 10 days to decide whether to sign it, veto it or allow the measure to become law without his signature (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 7/13). Several newspapers recently have published opinion pieces on the legislation. Some of these are summarized below.

Editorial
Long Island Newsday: The legislation "is a good-faith effort to reduce abortions, medical costs and unwanted pregnancies," but Pataki should ensure that pharmacists and nurses counsel minors seeking to purchase EC, a Newsday editorial says. EC should be available to all women and girls, but trained health professionals should be available to talk to young women, the editorial concludes (Long Island Newsday, 6/24).

Opinion Pieces
Sheryl McCarthy, Long Island Newsday: "In a society that claims to want to reduce the number of abortions women have each year, it's only common sense to make emergency contraception ... readily available," columnist McCarthy writes in a Newsday opinion piece. Although politics often have "trumped common sense, and even science, when it comes to sex, contraception and abortion rights," the bill is "sound policy nonetheless," and Pataki should approve it, McCarthy says (McCarthy, Long Island Newsday, 6/27).

Charles Millard, New York Post: Pataki should veto legislation that would allow EC to be sold without a prescription because "signing it will put an end to his national political hopes," columnist Millard writes in a Post opinion piece. EC "causes mini-abortions" and has not been approved for nonprescription use by FDA, Millard writes, concluding, "If he wants to run for president and he signs this bill, his campaign had better have a Plan B of its own" (Millard, New York Post, 7/15).

Irene Sills, Albany Times Union: The New York Legislature should "be commended for moving positively to prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions" in the state, Sills, chair of the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood Board of Directors, writes in a Times Union opinion piece. Now Pataki should "do the right thing and give New York women access to the tools they need to help them make responsible decisions about pregnancy and parenthood," Sills concludes (Sills, Albany Times Union, 6/30).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.