2011 NC Legislative Scorecard:

The North Carolina General Assembly has adjourned with plans to return in September. All told, anti-choice majorities in the House and the Senate were successful in passing two bills and three budget amendments that restrict access to reproductive healthcare in our state:

- HB 289: “Choose Life” license plates
- HB 854: Mandatory biased counseling and a 24 hour delay for abortion patients
- Budget provision to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving funds for family planning
- Budget provision to eliminate the state abortion fund
- Budget provision to restrict insurance coverage of abortion for state employees

Today we are releasing our 2011 Legislative Scorecard – a detailed look at how state legislators voted on measures impacting reproductive rights and health:
- 55% of legislators (29 senators and 65 representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position 0% of the time.
- 38% of legislators (19 senators and 46 representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position 100% of the time.
- The remaining 7% (two senators and nine representatives) supported Planned Parenthood’s position some of the time.

Take a look at how your representative and senator scored. Don’t know who your state legislators are? Find out here. Then, take action! Handwrite a letter to express your sincere appreciation or disappointment.

SAMPLE LETTERS:
Dear Representative/Senator ____,

Thank you for your efforts to protect access to reproductive healthcare in North Carolina. During the 2011 legislative session, you voted pro-choice 100% of the time! As your constituent, I sincerely appreciate your willingness to support vital healthcare for the residents of our state.

OR

As your constituent, I am very disappointed with your voting record in the 2011 legislative session; you voted pro-choice 0% [or insert % here] of the time. I hope in the future you will reconsider your support of divisive attacks on women’s reproductive healthcare that do nothing to address unintended pregnancy rates.

***
Thank you to all of the hard-working advocates who spoke out this legislative session. Together, we:
- Sent over 19,000 e-mails to elected officials
- Made over 5,600 calls to their offices
- Collected over 17,000 petition signatures
- Published 45 letters to the editor in local papers
- Identified and engaged 21,000 new PP supporters in NC

Our work to protect reproductive rights and improve reproductive health in NC continues, and you can help by educating your friends and family about the legislature’s actions this year. Make sure to share the scorecard on Facebook, Twitter, and your blogs.

Thank you all!

Quick Hit: “You are not a Lady.”

You may have heard rumblings this morning that Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is not very pleased with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and expressed in a recent e-mail to Ms. Wasserman Schultz that she is “the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives.” Wow.

Harsh words, you may think. However, the best part of the e-mail came when Mr. West revoked Wasserman Schultz’s “Lady” status.  

According to an article from Mike Lillis at The Hill, “The attack was a response to Wasserman Schultz’s earlier criticism of West for supporting the GOP’s ‘cut, cap and balance’ proposal, which Democrats say would lead to sharp cuts in Medicare and Social Security benefits.”

Really, Rep. West? Does the fact that Rep. Wasserman Schultz stood up for the women, men and children in her district, as well as the entire country, whom rely on these programs prevent her from fulfilling your opinion of how a Lady should act.

In that case, I don’t think I am “Lady” either. Dang.

Quick Hit: Lizz Winstead is Standing Up for Planned Parenthood (via Feminists for Choice)

READ: An interview with comedian and reproductive rights actvist, Lizz Winstead on Feminists for Choice.

When asked what people can do to reserve the tide of anti-choice sentiment across the county, Winstead says, “Lend our voice of support by calling officials in all levels of government, saying you firmly support the services of Planned Parenthood. Thank your elected officials who fight for healthcare, help elect candidates who are firm supporters of reproductive rights, and in the meantime, donate time and money to help women in need.” …That is literal music to our ears.

Check out the entire interview with Winstead about her tour in support of Planned Parenthood: http://feministsforchoice.com/lizz-winstead-is-standing-up-for-planned-parenthood.htm.

And the article’s author, Amy, even suggests you that the best way to combat all of these attacks on PP across the nation is to volunteer with PP… and we like that idea! Contact the following person in each of our affiliate’s states for volunteer opportunities: Patty in NC at Patricia.Dillon@pphsinc.org, Sloane in SC at Sloane.Whelan@pphsinc.org, Tanya in VA at Tanya.Semones@pphsinc.org or Kira in WV at Kira.Miskimmin@pphsinc.org.

June Advocate of the Month: Kyle Hoover!!

Kyle Hoover

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Occupation: Masters Student,
UNC-Chapel Hill

Tell us a bit about yourself:
My name is Kyle Hoover. I am originally from Boston and moved down here for school this past August (this is my first Carolina summer, yikes!). I’m currently getting my masters in social work from UNC Chapel Hill with a focus in macro-studies. When I graduate with my MSW next year, I hope to stay in the triangle area working for an organization that empowers women. I am currently interning with the Planned Parenthood Health Systems in Raleigh office with the nifty title of “e-organizing intern.” I do a lot of work with Planned Parenthood social media and am also becoming more involved with the policy and advocacy side of things, which I greatly enjoy!

How long have you been an advocate for reproductive and women’s rights?
I honestly don’t remember NOT being an advocate for reproductive health and women’s rights! I can recall becoming very angry in middle school as our gym teacher inferred that the girls in our class were somehow weaker or “less than” the boys. I focused on these themes more in college as I began to understand gender discrepancies and inequalities in greater detail. I focused my senior project on feminism and the (unfair) reasons it is so often viewed in a negative light. In graduate school, I have further honed my voice and passion for reproductive health and am so glad that I found an organization as awesome as Planned Parenthood to share these passions with.

What inspired you to become an advocate?
Beyond my strong passion for these matters, being in social work school was a great catalyst in encouraging my advocacy. I learned and witnessed the changes that advocates can make, and also realized the great responsibility and PRIVILEGE that we have to help our fellow women and stand up for our rights. Everything that I do as an advocate encourages me to continue to on this path; speaking with a woman who feels just as strongly as I do about these issues and knowing that she is the going to call the governor to voice her concerns because of my phone call makes me know that I am making a positive difference.

What is your favorite advocacy activity?
I have really enjoyed going to rallies at the legislator. I had never done anything like that before and love the morale and sense of camaraderie these rallies bring about. I love the energy and passion of the event!

What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting involved?
Step outside of your comfort zone! I was really nervous about phone-banking the first time, and then I realized that the WORST thing that could happen is that the person on the other end says “no.” The best thing that could happen, however, is that we elicit positive change in the world of women’s health and reproductive rights. The best thing is what propels me forward.

Tomorrow: Day of Action for Women’s Health!

You already know that these are scary times for those of us that support reproductive freedom and basic common sense measures like preventative health care for low-income women. But did you know that the NC Legislature has actually introduced 12 anti-choice bills this session? You can read about the “Dirty Dozen” here.

A couple of “highlights” will sound familiar. The “special provision” to defund Planned Parenthood from the House budget was introduced in an identical form in the NC Senate budget this week. Catch up on what those shenanigans would mean here. You’ll also recall HB 854– best known these days as the ”Women Know Nothing” bill– that requires state-scripted “counseling” and mandatory delays for women seeking abortion care in North Carolina.

Conscientious activists, we know you are just as outraged by these attacks on women’s health as we are! That’s why we’re hosting a Day of Action for Women’s Health tomorrow, Wednesday, June 1!

No matter where you live in NC or how much time you have there are ways you can help! Join us and Stand for Women’s Health on June 1st and beyond!

HOW CAN I HELP?

1) Volunteer to pick up the phone! We’re holding a marathon phone bank in Raleigh from 10:00am-8:00pm to get constituents across the state on the phones and calling their legislators to express their outrage that the state is prioritizing restricting access to reproductive health care rather than focusing on creating jobs and improving the economy! Do your part by signing up for a two-hour shift. Email patricia.dillon@pphsinc.org to RSVP and for more details. Snacks, drinks and meals will be provided!

2) Rally for Women’s Health! We’ll take a break from phone banking from 12:00-2:00pm to hold a HOT PINK demonstration in support of women’s health at the NC Legislature! Join us at 1:00pm on the Halifax Mall-that’s the grassy area behind the Legislative Building (16 W. Jones St.). We’ll provide the t-shirts and signs, all you have to do is show up! Check out a map of downtown parking here: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/graphics/downtownmap.pdf

3) Contact your legislators! We’ll send out an email alert to make it easy for you to let your legislators know that their constituents want them to stand up for women’s health! Make sure you receive that email by signing up here and make sure you take action tomorrow!

4) Donate your status! “Like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter to donate your status in support of women’s health. Then stand in solidarity and help us get the word out by changing your profile picture in support of the Day of Action!

5) Blog for women’s health! Have a blog? Write a post tomorrow about why you stand with us in support of reproductive health and freedom in North Carolina. When you do, post a link on our Facebook event page (www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=199849840060111) to share it with other supporters!

Yes, these are scary times but together we can make a difference! The Day of Action is right around the corner so sign-up to volunteer and tell your friends! It’s never been more important that we stand together and FIGHT!

Thank you to Alison Kiser, Field Manager at PP of Central NC, for compiling this post!

Quick Hit: The Great Girl Scouts Insurrection (via Jezebel)

Well, the Girl Scouts just can’t seem to catch a break this week!

Read this quick hit about two attempts to call Girl Scouts USA to the mat: http://jezebel.com/5803891/the-great-girl-scouts-insurrection.

It seems ones pair of teens do not appreciate the use of palm oil in Girl Scout cookies, while another is outraged that the organization would associate with the likes of Planned Parenthood (with all of their vulgar educational brochures).

Too many jokes about cookies and crumbling, so little time.

North Carolina: Why Do You Stand with PP?

Listen to these North Carolinians describe why they stand with PP in NC and oppose restrictions on funding for life-saving cancer screenings, STI testing and birth control:

Do you stand with PP in NC? Sign our petition today: www.ppaction.org/ncbudget!

In May, Let’s Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Not Bar PP from Funding…

Every May, states and communities observe National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) in an effort to raise awareness about how to talk to teens about making decisions concerning their sexual health. Sponsored by Advocates for Youth, NTPPM is an educational campaign designed to educate communities on how to prevent unintended teen pregnancies and encourage support for teen pregnancy prevention initiatives.

This May, it is particularly poignant that North Carolina recognizes such a campaign. This week, the NC House of Representatives is debating the state budget, which contains a provision that would bar Planned Parenthood in NC from receiving funds for teen pregnancy prevention initiatives in our state. This would include programs like the Adolescent Parenting Program (APP) in Wilmington, NC, which provides support services to pregnant or parenting teens, 19 and under, to help them stay in school and delay or avoid a second pregnancy.

Dana King, Coordinator for APP in Wilmington, NC, said recently, “What is unique about this program is the teen mothers stay in the program until they graduate from high school. Therefore, we have had girls who have gotten pregnant in middle school and have been in the program for four years or more. The coordinator builds a strong bond with each teen who is encouraged to strive for success and show resilience against all the obstacles she may face as a teen mother. Day to day, this program focuses on guiding teens and developing skills to help them become a productive citizen in our community.”

To learn more about what we are doing to fight these budget attacks, check out our website: www.ppaction.org/ncbudget. E-mail Patricia.Dillon@pphsinc.org if you would like to volunteer in our efforts to defend funding for PP in NC!

We need your help to stand with Planned Parenthood in North Carolina!

It Happened at the Federal Level, and Now It’s Happening in North Carolina…

Yesterday, the NC Health and Human Services House Committee approved a special provision to the state budget to bar Planned Parenthood in NC from receiving any state funding for family planning or teen pregnancy prevention initiatives.

PPHS VP of Public Policy, Melissa Reed, confronts Rep. Nelson Dollar
on the “special” provision to bar funding for Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood is an essential community provider in North Carolina. Each year, at nine health centers across the state, we provide over 18,000 tests for sexually transmitted infections, over 11,000 life-saving breast and cervical cancer screenings and contraceptive services to more than 61,000 women.

In addition, more than 70% of the women and men we serve lack the health insurance to pay for their care. They rely on Planned Parenthood to provide affordable, high quality, compassionate health care.

If you live in NC, tell the Speaker Thom Tillis: I stood with Planned Parenthood at the federal level and I am standing with them now at the state level!

Planned Parenthood receives state funding to provide preventive healthcare services like teen pregnancy prevention and affordable contraception. Every dollar spent on preventive health care saves the state almost four dollars.

Tell the Speaker of the House that you support Planned Parenthood and won’t tolerate politically motivated attacks on women’s healthcare!

Would you like to participate in our efforts to protect family planning in North Carolina? E-mail Patricia.Dillon@pphsinc.org to find out how you can help.

NATIONAL LOBBY DAY & RALLY IN DC ON APRIL 7TH!

By now, you have probably heard that extreme anti-choice members of Congress are trying to eliminate Title X, bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding for preventive health care, and cut millions of Americans off from family planning services, which include STI/HIV testing, cancer screenings and birth control.

 

What are we going to do about it?  We are taking a bus from locations in NC, VA and WV and joining with thousands of other pro-choice, pro-family planning and pro-women’s health supporters for a national rally and lobby day in Washington, DC on April 7th! 

And we need you to join us, get on the bus or drive on your own! Help us tell Congress to STAND UP FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH!

So mark your calendar, tell all of your friends, and most importantly, plan to join us for this incredibly important event.  We need to make it crystal clear to Congress that we will not stand for these heinous attacks on women’s health.

Click here to learn more and to reserve your seat on the bus leaving from Raleigh, NC: http://www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=100623&autologin=true 

Click here to learn more and to reserve your seat on the bus stopping in Charleston and Morgantown, WV: http://www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=100608&view=Detail

Click here to learn more and to reserve your seat on the bus stopping in Charlottesville, Richmond, and Fredericksburg, VA: http://www.ppaction.org/site/Calendar?id=100622&view=Detail

Hope to see you on April 7th! E-mail questions to patricia.dillon@pphsinc.org!