California and the West : Senate, Assembly OK Bills Requiring Insurers to Cover Birth Control

SACRAMENTO — California women could get insurance coverage for birth control pills and other prescription contraceptives under proposals approved by the Legislature on Tuesday over strong objections from Roman Catholic groups.

The measure could save women hundreds of dollars a year, noted Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks), citing the example of a Glendale Fire Department employee who spends $360 a year on birth control.

With Hertzberg leading the charge, the Assembly voted 43 to 23 for the measure (SB 41) by Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Daly City) to require coverage by private insurers. It still needs final passage in the Senate.

Earlier in the day, Hertzberg’s own companion measure (AB 39) was approved by the Senate 23 to 12 and sent to the Assembly for a final OK. It requires prescription contraceptives to be covered by all health maintenance organizations that reimburse other prescription drug costs.

Former Gov. Pete Wilson rejected similar legislation. Gov. Gray Davis, a Roman Catholic, has not indicated whether he supports this legislation. While campaigning last year, he said he favored expanding women’s access to birth control through health care coverage.

During Tuesday’s Assembly debate on Speier’s proposal, Republicans vigorously opposed the measure. Even though it exempts churches, synagogues and mosques, GOP members argued that the bill should go further to exempt religious hospitals.

Opponents cited complaints from Catholic groups that insuring women employees for contraceptives would violate their moral opposition to birth control.

Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) said it would be wrong for the Legislature “to ignore religious beliefs” of Catholic groups, including Catholic-owned hospitals.

Democrats, led by Hertzberg, argued that the measure is one of basic fairness to women. Supporters noted that Viagra, the anti-impotence drug for men, was quickly covered by insurers.

Assemblywoman Hannah Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) was especially outraged by the critics of the Speier bill, saying: “I am deeply offended by the notion that men in this room are standing up here and telling us how to exercise our right of conscience.”

In other legislative action Tuesday:

* The state Senate voted overwhelmingly to make seat belts mandatory on farm labor vans and buses, starting as early as Oct. 1.

The legislation, which Gov. Gray Davis has said he will sign, also earmarks $1.75 million for the California Highway Patrol to hire at least 10 officers to enforce agricultural labor transportation laws throughout the state.

The measure, AB 1165 by Assemblyman Dean Florez (D-Shafter), sailed out of the Senate on a 33-3 bipartisan vote and went to the Assembly for an expected final OK.

Florez introduced the bill shortly after 13 people died in the Aug. 9 crash of an overloaded farm labor van and a big rig in Fresno County.

Although seat belts have been mandatory for passenger cars and other vehicles in California since the 1980s, farm labor vans and buses that carry nine or more passengers are exempt, as are most school and commercial buses.

The Florez bill would require new farm labor vans to be equipped with safety belts starting Oct. 1. Vans currently on the road would have until next May 1 to comply. The bill also would require operators of farm labor vehicles to contact the CHP and submit their vehicles to a safety inspection.

* In largely party-line votes, the Senate also approved separate bills strengthening state civil rights protections for immigrants and gays. Both measures must go back to the Assembly for final approval.

On a 22-5 vote, the Senate approved AB 407 by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) extending Unruh Civil Rights Act protection to immigrants. The measure would guarantee that immigrants cannot be denied housing or access to financial and commercial institutions, such as banks, stores and restaurants. Republicans charged that the bill could extend such protection to illegal as well as legal immigrants.

The other measure, AB 1001 by Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles), expands the means for enforcement of state laws prohibiting housing and job discrimination against gays. Davis’ predecessor, Republican Pete Wilson, vetoed similar legislation. * By a 25-13 margin, the Senate also approved AB 300 by Assemblywoman Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) requiring that the state Department of General Services inspect public schools to determine their ability to withstand earthquakes. Earthquake problems in schools were detailed in a recent article in The Times.