S. C. R. No. 3 As Introduced

As Introduced

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

S. C. R. No. 3

Senator Tavares

Cosponsors: Senators Cafaro, Brown, Turner, Gentile, Skindell, Smith

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To recognize the week of January 20-26, 2013, as 1
Reproductive Rights Awareness Week to encourage 2
public awareness, conversation, and support for 3
reproductive rights and justice. 4

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, Women comprise more than half of the population of 5
the United States of America and are solely responsible for 6
childbearing; and 7

        WHEREAS, Women who plan their pregnancies are more likely to 8
seek prenatal care, improving their own health and the health of 9
their children; and 10

        WHEREAS, According to the Center for Women Policy Studies' 11
2011 National Strategic Action Convening for State Legislators on 12
Reproductive Rights and Justice, the United States of America 13
ranks 30th in the world in its rate of maternal mortality and has 14
one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among all developed 15
nations; and 16

        WHEREAS, Family planning services improve health care 17
outcomes and wellness for women and families, access to family 18
planning is directly linked to declines in maternal and infant 19
mortality rates, and women who do not receive prenatal care are 20
three to four times more likely to die after a live birth than are 21
women who have received even minimal prenatal care; and 22

        WHEREAS, Contraception enables women to better prevent 23
unintended pregnancies and plan for pregnancy when they do want to 24
have a child, and publicly funded contraceptive services and 25
supplies prevent nearly two million unintended pregnancies each 26
year in the United States; and 27

        WHEREAS, Nearly half of all unintended pregnancies end in 28
abortion, and abortion rates in the United States increase during 29
times when contraception is less accessible to low income women; 30
and 31

        WHEREAS, The United States has one of the highest rates of 32
unintended pregnancy among the world's developed nations, half of 33
all the pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and half 34
of unintended pregnancies occur in women who are not using 35
contraceptives; and 36

        WHEREAS, In addition to the primary purpose of allowing women 37
to plan and prepare for pregnancy, other health benefits of 38
contraception include reduced risk of endometrial and ovarian 39
cancers, ectopic pregnancy, iron deficiency anemia related to 40
heavy menstruation, osteoporosis, ovarian cysts, and pelvic 41
inflammatory disease; and 42

        WHEREAS, Racial and ethnic health disparities are 43
particularly pronounced in reproductive health, including 44
disparities in rates of contraceptive usage, unintended 45
pregnancies, maternal mortality, and sexually transmitted 46
infections; and 47

        WHEREAS, These racial and ethnic health disparities reveal 48
significant barriers to access to sexual health care (including 49
contraception), medical care, and medically accurate sexuality 50
education; and 51

        WHEREAS, A majority of American voters believe that matters 52
related to women's reproductive rights, including contraception 53
and abortion, are personal issues that should be decided by women 54
with their families, health care providers, or clergy members; now 55
therefore be it 56

        RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly 57
of the State of Ohio, in adopting this resolution, recognize the 58
week of January 20-26, 2013, as Reproductive Rights Awareness Week 59
to encourage public awareness, conversation, and support for 60
reproductive rights and justice; and be it further 61

        RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 62
authenticated copies of this resolution to the news media of Ohio. 63

WHEREAS, Women comprise more than half of the population of	5
the United States of America and are solely responsible for	6
childbearing; and	7

WHEREAS, Women who plan their pregnancies are more likely to	8
seek prenatal care, improving their own health and the health of	9
their children; and	10

WHEREAS, According to the Center for Women Policy Studies'	11
2011 National Strategic Action Convening for State Legislators on	12
Reproductive Rights and Justice, the United States of America	13
ranks 30th in the world in its rate of maternal mortality and has	14
one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among all developed	15
nations; and	16

WHEREAS, Family planning services improve health care	17
outcomes and wellness for women and families, access to family	18
planning is directly linked to declines in maternal and infant	19
mortality rates, and women who do not receive prenatal care are	20
three to four times more likely to die after a live birth than are	21
women who have received even minimal prenatal care; and	22

WHEREAS, Contraception enables women to better prevent	23
unintended pregnancies and plan for pregnancy when they do want to	24
have a child, and publicly funded contraceptive services and	25
supplies prevent nearly two million unintended pregnancies each	26
year in the United States; and	27

WHEREAS, Nearly half of all unintended pregnancies end in	28
abortion, and abortion rates in the United States increase during	29
times when contraception is less accessible to low income women;	30
and	31

WHEREAS, The United States has one of the highest rates of	32
unintended pregnancy among the world's developed nations, half of	33
all the pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and half	34
of unintended pregnancies occur in women who are not using	35
contraceptives; and	36

WHEREAS, In addition to the primary purpose of allowing women	37
to plan and prepare for pregnancy, other health benefits of	38
contraception include reduced risk of endometrial and ovarian	39
cancers, ectopic pregnancy, iron deficiency anemia related to	40
heavy menstruation, osteoporosis, ovarian cysts, and pelvic	41
inflammatory disease; and	42

WHEREAS, Racial and ethnic health disparities are	43
particularly pronounced in reproductive health, including	44
disparities in rates of contraceptive usage, unintended	45
pregnancies, maternal mortality, and sexually transmitted	46
infections; and	47

WHEREAS, These racial and ethnic health disparities reveal	48
significant barriers to access to sexual health care (including	49
contraception), medical care, and medically accurate sexuality	50
education; and	51

WHEREAS, A majority of American voters believe that matters	52
related to women's reproductive rights, including contraception	53
and abortion, are personal issues that should be decided by women	54
with their families, health care providers, or clergy members; now	55
therefore be it	56

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly	57
of the State of Ohio, in adopting this resolution, recognize the	58
week of January 20-26, 2013, as Reproductive Rights Awareness Week	59
to encourage public awareness, conversation, and support for	60
reproductive rights and justice; and be it further	61

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly	62
authenticated copies of this resolution to the news media of Ohio.	63