It looks like the fascist wing of the Arizona Republican party has decided they want
lots of young women to get pregnant and have abortions, or add to Arizona's already overburdened foster-care system.
(More below)
The Legislature has voted to protect pharmacists and other health care professionals who refuse to supply emergency contraceptives based on religious or moral grounds.
On a 17-11 vote, the Senate on Wednesday sent House Bill 2541 to Gov. Janet Napolitano, who expressed concern about a bill that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions.
"When can one refuse to sell you a lawfully prescribed prescription?" said Napolitano without guaranteeing a veto, adding, "I think you can safely say that I view refusal-to-sell bills with great skepticism, as does the Pharmacy Board and the Pharmacy Association."
The legislation, which had cleared the House, adds pharmacists to the list of medical providers who can refuse to participate in a procedure that goes against their conscience.
Hospitals and medical providers can refuse under existing state law to participate in an abortion based on religious or moral beliefs. But that law excludes pharmacists.
Note that, as written, this law would not only allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for RU-486, the so-called morning after pill, but would include more conventional prescribed forms of birth control (The Pill).
In other states where this stupid, ignorant and inherently sexist law has been passed, pharmacists are not only refusing to fill such prescriptions, but are often seizing the prescriptions, preventing women from getting the prescription filled at another pharmacist.
Janet Napolitano may veto this, but it's looking line a good possibility that the Repugs might have the votes to clear a veto in the Senate. Not so sure on the House side.
This entry has been crossposted to Desert Rat Democrat