2016 LEGISLATIVE REPORT the conservative legislature from attacking Floridian’s Overview access to reproductive healthcare. In an unprecedented legislative session, elected officials introduced four onerous bills which didn’t just restrict The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates is access to reproductive health services but attempted to the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood end all access to abortion care in the state. In addition for health centers in Florida and represents the interests the first time, the Florida legislature attempted to defund of 22 health centers statewide, 15 of which provide Planned Parenthood health centers through the budget abortion care. Floridians know they can count on Planned process. The “Florida for Life Act” filed by Representative Parenthood for nonjudgmental, compassionate and Charles Van Zant attempted to ban all abortion services in affordable quality care. With nearly 70% of Planned the state and urged the United States Supreme Court to Parenthood health centers in medically underserved overturn Roe v Wade. The legislation has been filed for the areas or physician shortage areas, Planned Parenthood past seven years of the Representative’s legislative term is a reliable provider for communities in need. For years, but had never received a committee hearing because Planned Parenthood patients have experienced funding of constitutional concerns. This session, for the first time cuts to county health departments and preventive health ever, this unconstitutional legislation was heard in the services. Each year since 2012, Florida has experienced Civil Justice Subcommittee and passed favorably with 8 HIV infections rise even as they decline across the Republican yeas, 2 Democratic nays and 1 Republican country. Planned Parenthood is proud to stand with nay. The legislation died in the committee process but the estimated 77,000 women, men and teens that turn just having that one committee hearing was indicative to them for reproductive health services, including of the hostile environment in the legislature regarding lifesaving cancer screenings, testing and treatment of reproductive rights. sexually transmitted infections, contraception services and abortion care. Planned Parenthood continues to play Ultimately, the legislature passed an omnibus TRAP a critical role in meeting reproductive health care needs (Targeted Regulations on Abortion Providers) bill (SB in communities. And yet, none of these matters deterred 1722/HB 1411) that lists over 10 medically unnecessary Session by the Numbers volunteers testified in 16 committee hearings volunteers participated 74 in Lobby Days positive op-eds on 37 reproductive health new 7,080 supporters and burdensome government regulations and mandatory sexually transmitted infections and cancer screenings. reporting to restrict women’s access to safe and legal These reimbursements are now prohibited under state abortion. The bill requires all abortion providers to have law. A similar law took effect in Texas that would deny admitting privileges or transfer agreements, which are Planned Parenthood from any state dollars for preventive not legislatively required for any other licensed medical health care. A study was conducted two years after the provider, nor are they a designation of the quality of a effective date and it showed that the number of women provider. Medical experts, like the American Medical who obtained birth control through state-funded family Association and the American College of Obstetricians planning services dropped roughly one-third in requests and Gynecologists denounce these types of restrictions for long-acting methods of birth control. Floridians and agree that they do not make patients safer. These deserve to have access to their provider of choice to regulations have nothing to do with protecting women receive preventive health care services to reduce the and everything to do with shutting down providers rate of unintended pregnancies and the rate of sexually by placing unreasonable requirements on health care transmitted infections. centers. This year, with the support of coalition partners and Simultaneously, the legislation also blocks all government through grassroots efforts, the Florida Alliance of Planned funding for family planning providers that also provide Parenthood Affiliates successfully defeated three other abortion care. No federal or state dollars provided to bills that attempted to restrict women’s access to health Planned Parenthood are in the form of a blank check. care. This report provides an overview of the bills that the This means that any government funds that Planned Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates worked Parenthood affiliates receive are reimbursements on during the 2016 Legislative Session in conjunction for contraception services, testing and treatment for with our allies and supporters. Social Media: Online Activism 58,502 online actions SB 1722/HB 1411 “Termination of Anti-Reproductive Pregnancies” by Sen. Stargel, Rep. Burton Health Legislation Co-Sponsors: Reps. Adkins, Ahern, Albritton, Baxley, Boyd, Burgess, Combee, Cortes (B), Costello, Drake, Eagle, Fant, Gaetz, Gonzalez, Hill, La Rosa, Magar, Mayfield, McBurney, Metz, Moraitis, Plakon, Porter, Raburn, Renner, Rodrigues SB 1718/HB 865 “Florida for Life Act” (R), Rooney, Santiago, Smith, Spano, Sullivan and Van Zant. by Sen. Evers, Rep. Van Zant SB 1722/HB 1411 significantly impacts women’s access to Co-Sponsors: Reps. Adkins, Ahern, Baxley, Broxson, abortion care with over 10 changes to current regulations Burgess, Costello, Cummings, Eagle, Gaetz, Grant, Hill, La by requiring medically unnecessary admitting privileges Rosa, Mayfield, Perry, Pigman, Rodrigues (R), Smith, Stone, or transfer agreements for abortion providers. It also and Sullivan prohibits state funding of any abortion provider for SB 1718/HB 865 is government interference at its worst preventive health care services like cancer screening, and would have banned safe, legal abortion in Florida. contraception services and STD testing and treatment. This legislation provided no exception for survivors STATUS: PASSED. The legislation passed the Senate of rape, sexual assault or incest, and only very limited 25-15 and the House 74-44. It will go into effect July exceptions for the life and health of the woman and 1, 2016. To see how your elected officials voted, narrowly defined medical emergencies. please visit myfloridahouse.gov. STATUS: The House bill was heard in Civil Justice Subcommittee and passed favorable in a party-line SB 602/HB 1 “Relating to Physician vote of 8 yeas, 3 nays. The House bill died in the Admitting Privileges” committee process. To see how your elected officials by Sen. Stargel, Rep. Hill voted, please visit myfloridahouse.gov. The Senate bill did not see legislative action. Co-Sponsors: Reps. Fant, Perry, and Van Zant SB 602/HB 1 would have severely restricted access to safe and legal abortion by requiring all abortion providers to HB 5001 “Relating to General obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital, which is Appropriations” not a state-mandated requirement for any other licensed by the Florida House of Representatives medical provider. Admitting privileges or transfer HB 5001 is the expansive appropriations legislation agreements are medically unnecessary and medical that creates the state’s budget, funding all sectors experts agree it would not make patients safer. of governments. This year the Florida House of STATUS: Did not see legislative action. Representatives took an unprecedented step of using the budget process to defund a specific provider, Planned HB 233 “Relating to Abortion Clinics” Parenthood. This language would have taken away preventive health care services provided by Planned by Rep. Trujillo Parenthood, like cancer screenings, contraception Co-Sponsors: Reps. Ahern, Gaetz, Hill, Moraitis, and Van Zant services and STD testing and treatment. HB 233 would have required abortion facilities to STATUS: An amendment (Barcode #: 990005) was comply with regulations that are intended for facilities filed by Democratic Caucus Leader Mark Pafford to that perform more invasive procedures, and use higher remove the language. The amendment failed with levels of sedation than abortion requires. These laws have 71 Republican members and 1 Democratic member nothing to do with protecting women and everything to who voted against and 34 Democratic members do with shutting down providers by placing unreasonable and 6 Republican members who voted in favor of building requirements on health care centers. the amendment. Ultimately, through the budget STATUS: Was heard in the first House committee of conferencing process the language was removed from reference, the Health Innovation Subcommittee, and the budget and approved without specific defunding passed favorable on a party-line vote with 9 yeas and language of Planned Parenthood. To see how your 4 nays. Died in the committee process. elected officials voted, visit myfloridahouse.gov. Pro-Reproductive Health Legislation In addition to the attacks on reproductive health introduced this session, there were two bills that would have focused on promoting healthier lifestyles by providing access to preventive care and education. Below are bills that the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates spearheaded with champion bill sponsors: SB 1056/HB 859 “Florida Healthy Adolescent Act” by Sen. Bullard, Rep. Fullwood Co-sponsors: Sens. Braynon,