Wash. Abortion Coverage Parity Bill Stalled in Senate
March 6, 2012 — A Washington bill (HB 2330) that would require health plans that cover maternity care to also cover abortion care appears defeated for this session, after it failed to advance to the Senate floor ahead of a Friday deadline, the AP/Seattle Times reports. The bill could be taken up in a special session.
The bill had cleared the full House, and Democrats expected to have the necessary Senate votes for passage. However, on Friday, two attempts to bring it to the floor were voted down after a contentious budget discussion. Three Democrats who sided with Republicans in the budget debate also joined them in voting against efforts to bring the abortion coverage bill to the floor.
Supporters of the bill say it would have ensured continued access to abortion coverage after the state establishes its health insurance exchange as part of the federal health reform law (PL 111-148) (Kaminsky, AP/Seattle Times, 3/2).
The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
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The Editors
Debra Ness, publisher & president, National Partnership
Andrea Friedman, associate editor & director of reproductive health programs, National Partnership
Marya Torrez, associate editor & senior reproductive health policy counsel, National Partnership
Melissa Safford, associate editor & policy advocate for reproductive health, National Partnership
Perry Sacks, assistant editor & health program associate, National Partnership
Cindy Romero, assistant editor & communications assistant, National Partnership
Justyn Ware, editor
Amanda Wolfe, editor-in-chief
Heather Drost, Hanna Jaquith, Marcelle Maginnis, Ashley Marchand and Michelle Stuckey, staff writers
Tucker Ball, director of new media, National Partnership
