G-CAPP Policy and
Advocacy News
2007 Georgia General Assembly Update
The Georgia General Assembly completed day 27 of the 40 day legislative session last week and is in recess for the next two weeks. The state budget is still on hold as the Governor and legislators continue to work to address the $131 million shortfall for Georgia’s PeachCare for Kids program. We will provide updates on a weekly basis during the session regarding bills and issues that affect adolescents and public health.
Action Still Needed to Protect Adolescent Confidential Access to Health Care
House Bill 526 amends the state code regarding family planning services to require unemancipated minors (individuals who are under the age of 18 and unmarried) to be accompanied by a parent or guardian who can show proper identification in order to receive referral services or contraceptives from any state-funded public health department or agency.
TAKE ACTION: Contact your legislators and the members of the House Health and Human Services Committee, where the bill has been referred, to voice your opposition to this extremely harmful bill that would have a devastating impact on teens and their ability to prevent unintended pregnancies. For more information on this issue see last week's Policy & Advocacy Update.
Other Legislation:
SB 155 (Sen. Don Balfour, 9th) requires immunization against HPV for female students before entering the sixth grade. Parents would be allowed to opt out due to religious beliefs or inability to pay for the vaccine. In 2006, the FDA approved a new vaccine for young women and girls that protects against infection by certain strains of human papilloma virus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. HPV is the major cause of cervical cancer, which leads to 3,700 deaths in the US annually. The bill was favorably reported by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
HB 174 (Rep. Len Walker, 107th) prohibits teens with instructional permits from using cell phones, including hands-free devices, while driving. The bill was favorably reported by the House Motor Vehicles Committee.
SB 95 (Sen. Joseph Carter, 13th) revises state law, which currently prohibits the purchase or possession of cigarettes or tobacco-related products by minors, to also prohibit the "attempt to purchase" cigarettes or tobacco-related products by a minor. The bill was passed by the Senate unanimously and has been assigned to the House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee.
Track Legislation
For
the latest updates on legislation, visit the General
Assembly web site and search by the bill number in the
top right hand corner of the page. You may also find information
for contacting bill sponsors and other legislators on the
General Assembly web site, or find your legislators here.
To follow legislative issues that G-CAPP is working on, click
here.
2005 Teen Birth Data Now Available
Teen birth data for 2005 is now available on the state's Online Analytical Statistical Information System (OASIS). The birth rate for 15 to 19 year olds declined from 53.3 in 2004 to 52.3 in 2005. There were a total of 16,422 births to 15 to 19 year olds in Georgia in 2005.
G-CAPP Fast Fact
March is Womens History Month - test your knowledge of women's history with this National Women's History Project online quiz.
