PODCAST Minnesota Legislative Session Comes to a Close
May 20, 2008 12:05:00
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
As you can tell by the title of this post, the Minnesota Legislature adjourned on time this year, concluding its regular session at midnight on Sunday, May 18th.
Thanks to you, we made significant advances for public health in 2008. Listen to the podcast below (or subscribe in itunes) to learn about those advances. Or just read the text below. That works too.
1. Enactment of Several Prevention-Based Initiatives
This year the legislature passed laws that will expand access to contraceptives by giving RNs the ability to dispense and administer all contraceptives (not just oral contraceptives). Additionally, the legislature passed a law allowing Expedited Partner Treatment for Chlamydia patients. Expedited Partner Treatment means that if a person is diagnosed with Chlamydia, not only will he or she receive treatment, he or she will also be given the option to receive medication for the sexual partner as well. We are only the 4th state in the country to pass legislation that will better facilitate treatment of chlamydia infections. Thanks very much to Senator John Marty for his help in passing this.
2. Responsible Family Life and Sexuality Education
Not only did our full Responsible Family Life and Sexuality Education (RFLSE) bill get included in both Education Omnibus bills for the first time ever, we also passed a stand-alone sex ed bill through the full committee process for the first time as well.
Despite all our breakthroughs, the RFLSE act had the same fate it did in 2007: it was dropped from the final education omnibus bill because the Governor threatened his veto.
The entire coalition was extremely disappointed by this repetition of events. But don't worry—We will be back. Good public policy can't be stopped forever.
Thank you to our courageous sponsors and champions of sex ed, Representative Neva Walker and Senator Sandy Pappas
3. Environmental Toxins and Reproductive Health
PPMNS supported the Healthy Legacy Coalition's effort to ban phthalates and bisphenol-A, two chemicals that are implicated in adverse reproductive health outcomes. The Coalition's bill passed and was sent to the Governor, who vetoed it. Look for more work on this important issue in the 2009 Legislative Session.
Subscribe to our blog HERE. Subscribe to our podcast in itunes HERE.
Trackback: http://www.plannedparenthoodadvocate.org/trackback/365/nyz2xXUP/
Sorry you came out short; maybe what we really need is a new gov.
By Betty K Lee on 20/05/2008
Go Tim…..thanks for all your hard work and everyone’s there…..stand up for choice!
By Hilary Debler on 21/05/2008
I am sure we need a new Governor. It would be nice to have his patronizing and deceitful demeanor replaced. Wish he were running again this year. Maybe the whole thing will be taken out of our hands by John McCain. (How scary is that?)
By Mary Tambornino on 21/05/2008
Was so discouraged by our governor’s foolishness that I forgot to tell Tim what a great job he did. Once again, he and Planned Parenthood, had our backs
By Mary Tambornino on 21/05/2008
