The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues.

Abortion Regulations
Oklahoma: The state House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday voted to approve a bill (HB 1257) that would legally recognize a fetus as a separate victim in a crime when a pregnant woman is assaulted and the fetus dies, the AP/KTEN reports. The law would not apply to legal abortion, according to the AP/KTEN. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Pam Peterson (R), would increase the sentence for the death of a fetus to be equal to the penalty of any other homicide. The measure now moves to the full House for consideration (AP/KTEN, 2/21).

Regulations on Minors
South Dakota: The state Senate Education Committee on Tuesday voted 4-3 to reject a bill (HB 1194) that would prohibit distributing birth control pills, condoms and other contraceptives on public school property after opponents said there was no evidence of schools allowing the distribution of contraceptives, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/21). The bill, which the state House voted to approve last week, would have permitted parents to give their children those items on school grounds. State House lawmakers removed language from the bill that would have instituted a penalty of as much as 30 days in jail and a $200 fine for referring a student to family planning services and up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for distributing condoms in schools (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/14).

Sex Education
South Dakota: The state Senate on Tuesday voted 21-13 to reject a motion for floor debate on a bill (HB 1217) that would have required public schools to teach abstinence as the only effective way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Brokaw, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/21). The measure -- which earlier this month was approved by the state House but rejected last week by the state Senate Education Committee -- would have required schools that offer sex education classes not to promote or provide information about the use of contraceptive drugs, devices or methods. Under the measure, school districts incorporating sex education into classes also would have been required to set up advisory boards to evaluate new courses or materials being introduced (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/16). The rejection of the motion for debate -- made by state Sen. Lee Schoenbeck (R) -- means the bill no longer will be considered (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/21).

Stem Cell Research
Missouri: State Rep. Jim Lembke, chair of the state House Appropriations Committee responsible for the Office of Administration, on Tuesday recommended that the state House Budget Committee refrain from appropriating $38.5 million in funding for "life-science research" until after the November elections determine whether all forms of stem cell research will be legal in the state, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (Blank, AP/Kansas City Star, 2/21). A ballot proposal for the November elections would amend the state constitution to ensure that stem cell research that is legal under federal law would be protected by the state. A petition of 145,000 signatures is needed to qualify the initiative for a statewide vote, but the language of the initiative is currently under legal challenge (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/31).

Other Regulations
Missouri: State Sens. Joan Bray (D) and Rita Heard Days (D) on Tuesday used an administrative procedure to block an application for the state to sell "Choose Life" license plates, the AP/Belleville News Democrat reports. A state law, approved in 2004, allows a not-for-profit group to apply for specialty license plates with the Missouri Department of Revenue if it pays $5,000 and lists 200 potential buyers of the plate. However, applications can be blocked by any five state House members, two state senators or a member of the state Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight. The law allows rejected applications to be appealed in the committee but does not lay out required procedures. Bray and Heard Days, both members of the transportation committee who support abortion rights, blocked the application for the "Choose Life" plates filed by Choose Life Missouri. Kevin Roach, Choose Life Missouri's chair and president, said his group would appeal the decision to the transportation committee and file a lawsuit if the appeal is denied (Lieb, AP/Belleville News Democrat, 2/21).

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