This morning, State Rep. Victoria Steele testified that she was a victim of sexual assault as a child, during a hearing in the State House Committee. The Federalism and States’ Rights Committee went on to pass a bill that prohibits health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act from providing abortion coverage.
“This bill would require women who are seeking an abortion after being traumatized by rape or incest to share personal, private and emotional information with an insurance company if they want coverage for the procedure. It will force victims to suffer another trauma. Telling my story today was difficult, and I have had years to deal with and recover from the incident. I can’t imagine the position this legislation would put recent victims in if they attempt to get medical care,” Steele said. “Additionally, this bill endangers doctors who provide a legal, medical service to women by making the doctors’ personal information public. The bill is inappropriate on many levels. Politicians should not be creating laws that target women and doctors.”
The committee also approved an amendment that requires abortion providers to tell women they have the option to reverse the effects of abortion medication in case they change their minds, The Associated Press reported.
Supporters of SB 1318, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Nancy Barto of Phoenix, say tax dollars shouldn’t support abortions
From the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative group that’s been watching this bill like a hawk:
In 2010, Arizona became the first state to opt out of providing abortion coverage through the ACA when it passed SB 1305 into law. Since the ACA passed, 23 states have restricted the circumstances under which plans on their exchanges may provide coverage for elective abortions – 17 of those states prohibiting abortion coverage altogether.
With the latest statistics showing that “nearly 90 percent of people who bought health insurance in the second year of Obamacare qualify for government help to pay their premiums,” prohibiting abortion coverage on a state’s exchange ensures taxpayers are not forced to subsidize abortion.
Many others argue this is just another intrusion of conservative lawmakers into women’s health care decisions and rights.
The state Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee passed the bill last month. It now moves to the House for a constitutional review.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.
I am so proud to have Rep. Steele speaking for me at the Capitol. Arizona desperately needs leaders like her to stand up to the prevailing irrationality that has been overtaking the Republican party in recent years.
Looks like Victoria Steele is shaping up to be a solid Representative for Arizona.
Sad she had to share her experiences, but glad she did.
Everyone should be able to get free abortions without the government or their neighbors sticking their noses in their business.
Abortion is not medical care.
And I’d rather my tax dollars pay for ALL family planning INCLUDING abortion and not war…
But you christianists get to push your sky-god myths and war mongering on the rest of us while Peace, reason and rationality are ignored…
Hey ChetDude.
So, war is bad because people die. And murder is bad because you shouldn’t kill another person. But killing an unborn person is OK?
I’d rather believe in “sky-god myths” as you so eloquently slam belief systems that are not your own than be a hypocrite that chooses what is right and wrong based on personal convenience.
So proud of Rep Victoria Steele for having the courage to stick to her convictions and speak up, at great personal expense. It reminds me of Sen. Paula Aboud’s powerful floor speech in support of marriage equality a few years back.
The saddest part of this story is that they passed this cruel bill anyway.