Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Critics Attack Okla. Abortion Bill As Unconstitutional, Say It's An Attempt To Ban Legal Medical Procedure
Of the pieces of anti-abortion legislation that Oklahoma lawmakers have considered this session, one that would strip doctors of their license to practice has abortion rights activists and the state's medical association balking. The bill would prohibit any physician who performs abortions, deemed "unprofessional conduct" in the measure, from obtaining a license to practice medicine. That would be the first such law in the nation 鈥 and an unconstitutional attempt to ban abortions, according to Center for Reproductive Rights, a New-York based abortion rights organization. (4/25)
Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he believes the Iowa House has adopted a "reasonable proposal" that would continue statewide family planning services while barring funds for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. (Petroski, 4/25)
Six members of the national service program AmeriCorps recently escorted young pregnant women to abortion clinics in a 鈥渄irect violation鈥 of federal funding rules, a government watchdog will report Tuesday. The volunteers served as clinic escorts, also known as 鈥渁bortion doulas,鈥 in parts of New York City, according to a source familiar with the report from a federal inspector general鈥檚 office. A summary of the report will be published online Tuesday. (Ferris, 4/25)