Civil & Human Rights

Abortion-inducing drug case may be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Oklahoma Supreme Court set the stage Tuesday for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule this term on an abortion dispute over whether states may restrict doctors from prescribing the two drugs that are commonly used by women who seek an abortion in the first weeks of their pregnancy. Stage set for Supreme Court to rule on abortion<-inducing drugs:

The Oklahoma case could be the first test of whether the court’s
conservative majority will uphold the new state laws that seek to
strictly regulate legal abortions.

The legislatures in Oklahoma, Texas and several other states have adopted laws that require doctors to follow the Food and Drug Administration’s protocols for the use of “any abortion-inducing drug.” The laws forbid doctors to prescribe medications for “off-label use.”

Sponsors of the laws said
they wanted to protect the health of women. But medical experts and
supporters of abortion rights said the law would effectively ban
medication abortions because the FDA protocol is outdated and conflicts
with current medical practice.

Only one drug — mifepristone or RU-486 — was approved by the FDA in
2000 for inducing early abortions. In the last decade, however,
physicians have regularly prescribed a second drug — misoprostol — to
complete such abortions through nine weeks of a pregnancy. They also
have prescribed RU-486 in much lower dosages.

Federal Court blocks Texas abortion law that Wendy Davis tried to stop

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas today issued an opinion striking down two key parts of an abortion restriction that Texas passed earlier this year. Sarah Kliff writes at Wonkblog, Wendy Davis couldn’t stop a Texas abortion law. But a federal court just did.

The decision halts two key provisions of House Bill 2: A requirement
that abortion providers have admitting privileges at a local hospital
and another barring medical abortions.

"The admitting privileges provision of House Bill 2 does not bear a
rational relationship to the legitimate right of the State in preserving
and promoting fetal life or a woman's health and, in any event, places a
substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a
nonviable fetus and is thus an undue burden to her," U.S. District Judge
Lee Yeakel wrote in the opinion.

On the medical abortion ban, he wrote, "Although the medication
abortion provisions do not generally place an undue burden on a woman
seeking an abortion, they do if they ban a medication abortion where a
physician determines, in appropriate medical judgment, such a procedure
is necessary for the preservation of the life or health of the mother."

This is a big deal for the 12 Texas abortion providers that filed
suit against the restrictions, which were set to take effect on Oct. 29.

U.S. Senate to bring ENDA to a vote – contact Sen. Jeff Flake

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Steve Benen reports today,
Senate readies ENDA for floor vote:

Back in July, the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee easily approved
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), 15 to 7. Since then,
however, there’s been little action – Congress was out in August, and by
September, the prospect of a government shutdown and/or debt-ceiling
crisis dominated the landscape.

But with the crises having past, at least for now, senators are once again returning to the issue.

The Senate’s partisan balance will move a tick to the left
Thursday, when Cory Booker takes his seat as the 55th member of the
Democratic caucus. And the New Jersey newcomer looks increasingly likely
to make a bit of history befitting his national profile only a few days
later, by providing an essential vote to advance the most important
civil rights bill of the decade.

Legislation that would prohibit workplace discrimination
based on sexual orientation or gender identity is on the cusp of
securing a filibuster-crushing supermajority of 60 senators – close
enough that proponents are ready to call the question.

New Jersey’s Cory Booker (D) will be sworn in on Thursday, and by Roll Call’s count, that will bring the total number of ENDA supporters in the chamber to 56, including a handful of Republicans.

That wouldn’t be quite enough to overcome a far-right
filibuster, but proponents believe a lobbying push can secure the
remaining support necessary to overcome obstructionism and allow the
Senate to vote up or down on the proposal. Indeed, the lobbying campaign
will reportedly focus on Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Kelly Ayotte
(R-N.H.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.),
and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). Flake voted for a previous version of ENDA in
the House several years ago, and Portman, who has an openly gay son, has
endorsed marriage equality.

Hawaii Special Session for SB1 – Hawaii Marriage Equity Act begins today

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I know that "Birthers" think Hawaii is some exotic foreign country rather than the 50th state, and the American media tends to disregard news from Hawaii because its time zone does not coincide with their broadcasts or print deadlines, but there is news happening in Hawaii this week that deserves the media's attention. Here is the Honolulu Star-Advertiser today:

Star-Advertiser

The Special Session of the Hawaii Legislature for SB1 – Hawaii Marriage Equity Act begins today.
Fervent assemblies precede session (subscription required).

The Hawaii Reporter does not require a subscription. Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor to Hold Hearing on Marriage Equality Bill:

The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor will hold a hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 1, Relating to Equal Rights, on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at the State Capitol Auditorium.

The hearing will follow the convening of the Second Special Session of 2013 called by Governor Neil Abercrombie.

“Listening to public input, we’ve strived to strike a balance between
the concerns expressed by both sides of this issue,” said Senator
Clayton Hee, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor. “We
have also done our best to provide the public with ample opportunity to
review the measure posted online to offer further input. Everyone
wishing to participate may do so by submitting testimony.”

Cindy McCain petitions her husband to support ENDA

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Cindy McCain who, unlike her angry old man husband, Sen. John McCain, has been a strong and vocal supporter of equal rights for women and gays, was asked to sign a petition this past week in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that is awaiting action in Congress. Cindy McCain petitions husband to back gay rights bill:

Cindyenda-186x300Call it a bold canvassing move that paid off: An organizer for the Human Rights Campaign
asked Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) wife Cindy to sign a postcard
Thursday urging the senator to back legislation barring workplace
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

She signed it.

The senator has never supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act,
which passed a Senate committee in July and could come to the floor for
a vote soon. A bipartisan coalition  has dispatched field organizers in
seven states across the country to mobilize constituents on behalf of
the bill, and HRC has collected "tens of thousands of postcards" as part
of the effort, according to HRC spokesman Michael Cole-Schwartz.

Arizona is a key state, since activists are targeting both McCain and
his fellow Republican Sen. Jeff Flake; McCain has opposed the bill in
the past, while Flake has not voted on the issue since taking office in
January.