Wisconsin to Ban Some Abortion Coverage, Re-focus Sex-education

Wisconsin - Wisconsin lawmakers have approved controversial measures to block the state's new health insurance exchange from covering abortions and require sex education classes to emphasize abstinence as the preferred method of birth control.


Both bills, which were voted through the Republican-controlled Assembly by 61-34 late Tuesday, now head to the desk of Republican Governor Scott Walker, who is widely expected to sign them.

The laws ban private insurers from offering abortion coverage in the plans they offer through the state-run exchange where thousands of Wisconsin residents will buy subsidized coverage under President Obama's healthcare overhaul.

Two Democrats, Peggy Krusick and Tony Staskunas, and one independent, Bob Ziegelbauer, joined Republicans in supporting the abortion bill, which opponents said would necessarily impair women's health by limiting access to abortions for those who require them.

A handful of Democratic representatives wore Planned Parenthood T-shirts as they voted unsuccessfully against the measure.

Also late Tuesday, the Assembly passed a bill that repeals the so-called "Healthy Youth Act" passed last session by Democrats that provided "comprehensive sex education."

Once Walker signs the measure, it will require schools that offer a human development and growth curriculum to emphasize abstinence as the preferred method of birth control and emphasize the role and "socioeconomic benefits" of marriage.

The measure would also remove information on contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration from the required curriculum.

Democrats argued the bill would neglect science-based teaching and put children at risk from sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy.

Last week, lawmakers in Utah passed a measure that would ban public schools from teaching contraception as a way of preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Supporters of the measure in both Utah and Wisconsin argued that sex education was best left up to parents.

University Allows Birth Control Pill in Vending Machines

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania - Students at Shippensburg University are now available to buy the “morning-after” pill for $25 from a vending machine thanks to their student government.

The Pennsylvania school's health center provides the pill, as well as condoms, decongestants, and pregnancy tests, to its students, all of whom are at least 17 years old.

For those who worry about someone underage or don't go to the school getting the Plan B pill, there are precautions in place.

“The machine is in a private room in our health center, and the health center is only accessible by students,” said school spokesman Peter Gigliotti. “In addition, no one can walk in off the street and go into the health center. Students proceed to a check-in desk located in the lobby and after checking in are granted access to the treatment area.”

Odd Stories: Orangutan Gets Birth Control Implant

Cleveland – Veterinarians got a lesson at Cleveland Clinic from a physician when it comes to installing a birth-control device in an orangutan.

One doctor, Judith Volkar, had a major hand in it. After she showed several vets how to put in a new birth-control device, she was found herself watching as Albert Lewandowski did the procedure on an orangutan named Kitra. Nobody in the United States has ever done it before to an orangutan.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo curator Geoffrey Hall said the zoo may want Kitra to breed someday, but at the moment they don't want her to do so, which led to this surgery before she was introduced to four other orangutans.

Kitra was awake within two hours with no apparent side-effects.