H-1478              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1174

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Lux and D. Nelson

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Social & Health Services.

AN ACT Relating to health care costs; adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:

          The legislature of the state of Washington finds that teenage pregnancies in our state and nation are at totally unacceptable levels and that the overwhelming majority of these pregnancies are high risk and traumatic, and place a tremendous drain on health care resources.  The legislature finds that in order to contain health care costs, awareness of preventive education and service availability are necessary ingredients.  Therefore:

          (1) Public and private entities involved in providing contraceptive services and education should initiate public service advertising campaigns directed towards teenagers;

          (2) Television, radio, and print media owned and operated within the state of Washington should allocate a reasonable block of time or space for public service announcements that state where information can be obtained regarding contraception;

          (3) Space for such announcements should be made available by transit services and other entities publicly owned and operated within the state of Washington that sell advertising space; and

          (4) Printed information about the locations of clinical services and educational programs should be provided as a public service by the state department of social and health services, county and city health departments, public and private hospitals, public and private clinics, drug stores, and other entities involved in health care and related fields in the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act shall take effect January 1, 1986.