Concience Clause Bill blasted by Republican at hearing in Capitol

[sybylla]

Health care conscience bill blasted at hearing
By Matt Pommer
March 31, 2005

A tough Conscience Protection Act, promoted by abortion foes as the most comprehensive in the nation, ran into sharp criticism today at an Assembly hearing.

In prepared remarks, Judith Hartig-Osanka, state chairwoman of Republicans for Choice, assailed the measure that would prohibit health care professionals, including pharmacists and medical students, from being forced to participate in activities related to abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, the destruction of human embryos for any purpose, and the use of body parts of aborted fetuses.

"This bill legalizes the violation of physician and pharmacist codes of ethics and is not supported by a single health care organization," Hartig-Osanka said. "It elevates an employee's rights above those of the patient, the prescribing doctor and the employer. This bill codifies discrimination against women by preventing them from having access to birth control.

"There is not one word in the bill about protecting the life and death of the patient or preventing harm to the patient," she said.
<snip>

Her criticism is dead-on. I would have liked to be there. I so enjoy Republican on Republican battles. Unfortunately, if you read on, you get to see the Catholics and the Right-to-Lifers were there encouraging OUR representatives to take away OUR right to our own medical decisions. I'm not sure I wouldn't have been thrown out for heckling if I'd stayed around for their testimony.

[shoelace414]

1. considering how "purple" Wisconsin is

I'm surprised they are letting all the far right waco things run through the state congress..

then agian.. with a dem governor.. none of them end up law.

[Viking12]

2. If providing health care violates "Conscience" find a new j

It's easy. If they don't like to distribute birth control, find a job where distributing birth control isn't in the job description. Freedom of conscience.

Here's a good article form a local monthly:

Women's Rights Under Siege

By Laura Ritchie

-snip-

Senate Bill 21 would allow pharmacists to deny filling women’s birth control prescriptions or any other prescriptions they have a moral or religious objection to, even if doing so will harm the patient. Perhaps not such a big deal in Appleton where there is a Walgreen’s every couple miles. But, if you’re in a one-pharmacist town, a puritanical “soup Nazi” at the helm of the apothecary counter would basically be making the childbearing decisions of everyone within the city limits. The pharmacist would become a modern day “Wizard of Oz” granting birth control and other medications or denying at will. This bill, currently up for debate by the Wisconsin State Assembly’s Organization Committee, in short puts a pharmacist’s personal value system and beliefs above an individual’s personal choice, health, and doctor’s recommendation.

The second piece of legislation that seems as if it should be as much a part of ancient history as the Salem Witch Trials and lead-based paint is The Denial of Health Care Bill. Also known as AB 67, this bill actually passed the assembly and senate before being vetoed by Governor Doyle. This bill would allow health care providers to withhold information from a patient if they feel it might lead to a decision they find morally objectionable. For example, if a woman would go for an ultrasound during her first trimester and the technician interpreting the image notices a baby with no arms or legs and a concaved skull, he or she could say, “your baby looks perfect.” Because this person is morally opposed to abortion, he or she could tell every future mom this same mantra and could not be held accountable later.

-snip

The final piece of proposed Wisconsin legislation is the Repeal of the Family Planning Waiver. This bill would prohibit 15 to 17 year old girls from gaining access to preventative health care services such as birth control, cancer screening, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Publicly funded family planning programs prevent approximately 24,000 unintended pregnancies each year. Again, regardless of one’s stance on abortion, stopping unwanted pregnancies just makes sense and at the end of the day will prevent would-be abortions.

http://www.valleyscene.com/cover.html

[AllyCat]

3. Gosh, I'm a nurse and have a moral objection to smoking

So can I refuse to treat people with lung cancer, mouth cancers, and high blood pressure?

I don't approve of a lot of things people do. Thankfully, it's not part of my job to judge them.

You're right. If they don't like it, get a new job. They took an oath to uphold the ethics of their respective professions. If they can't stand by their oaths, it's time to quit and do something else.

[gizmo1979]

4. I just saw a post

about Illinois passing the opposite type bill today.They stated that pharmacists etc must provide birth control no matter what their religious background.