SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESHB 1408

    AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, APRIL 5, 1993

Brief Description:  Providing a comprehensive program for teen pregnancy prevention.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Sommers, Leonard, Cooke, Thibaudeau, Brough, Riley, Wolfe, Thomas, Karahalios, Ballasiotes, Forner, Long, Schmidt, Flemming, Silver, Eide, Wood, Shin, Linville, R. Meyers, J. Kohl, Ogden, Valle, Ludwig, Bray, Basich, Wineberry, Jones, Roland, Mielke, Wang, Heavey, Pruitt, Brown, Dellwo, Scott, Rayburn, King, Cothern, Kessler, G. Cole, Rust, Springer, Kremen, Johanson, L. Johnson, Locke, Sheldon, Morris, H. Myers, Jacobsen and Anderson)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Franklin, Fraser, Hargrove, McAuliffe, Moyer, Niemi, Prentice, Quigley, Sheldon, and Winsley.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7472)

Hearing Dates: March 25, 1993; March 30, 1993

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Spanel, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Gaspard, Hargrove, Jesernig, Moyer, Niemi, Quigley, Snyder, Sutherland, Talmadge, Williams, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Cindi Holmstrom (786-7715)

Hearing Dates: April 5, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Extensive, long-term empirical evidence exists on the relationship between teen pregnancy and poverty, low educational attainment, low birth weight infants, significant social costs and failure to maximize employment potential.

In addition, pregnant teenagers become involved in a complex of personal problems, stresses and conditions which negatively impact their lives and are difficult to overcome.

SUMMARY:

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Projects are established.  A high level of community involvement and a wide range of types of programs are encouraged.  Components of the programs will demonstrate sensitivity to religious, cultural and socioeconomic diversity, and will emphasize abstinence as a contraceptive method.  A Teen Pregnancy Prevention Media Campaign is developed similar to the D.A.R.E. drug resistance outreach.  The projects require periodic evaluation of effectiveness, as measured by decrease in rates of teen pregnancies measured in local communities. 

Family planning services are made available under the Maternity Care Access Act (First Steps) program, and are extended for 12 months following a covered pregnancy.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES AMENDMENT:

Monitoring of data on teen pregnancy rates is specified.  Information about Norplant-type birth control will be provided as part of family planning services.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED WAYS & MEANS AMENDMENT:

The bill is made contingent upon funding in the omnibus appropriations act.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note: requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

A wide range of local approaches combined with a teen pregnancy media campaign will be helpful in reaching more teens.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Sex education and condom availability in schools are ineffective.  A non-contraceptive approach based on teen self-esteem would work best.

TESTIFIED:  Jim Peterson, DSHS (pro); Eileen Keith, DOH (pro); Cynthia Shurtleff, Washington Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (pro); Laurie Dills, WACSAP (pro); Suzy Tracy, WSMA (pro); Teresa Connor, Planned Parenthood (pro); Beverly Jacobson, Washington Hospital Association (pro); Jamie Schwartz, CARE (con); Julie Gonzalez, Crisis Pregnancy Center (con); Camille DeBlassi, Human Life (con); Peggy Reich, Teen Aid (con); Dr. Ted McDonald, Human Life of Wash. (con); Lonnie Johns-Brown, WASCAP (pro)