FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1408

                         C 407 L 93

                     Synopsis as Enacted

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

By 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

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  Over 15,000 teenage girls become pregnant each year in Washington State.  Adolescent pregnancies can cause young mothers to drop out of school, reduce their ability to earn a living wage, increase their likelihood of becoming dependent on public assistance, and increase the likelihood that their children will grow up in poverty.

Summary:  A program is established within the Department of Health to fund community based teen pregnancy prevention projects.  The projects will be evaluated by the reduction of the pregnancy and birth rates among teens in the community served.  The applications for funding will include components which address religious, cultural, and socioeconomic differences in the community to be served, and the inclusion of sexual abstinence as an acceptable method of pregnancy prevention.  A teen pregnancy prevention media campaign will be conducted in conjunction with local media outlets and interested organizations and corporations. 

The family planning services available through the First Steps Program are extended from two months immediately following a pregnancy to 12 months immediately following a pregnancy.  The Department of Health is authorized to offer family planning services to women who meet the financial eligibility criteria for maternity coverage through the First Steps Program.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  83 12

Senate 36 8 (Senate amended)

House  85 12 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1993