Legislation that would prevent Virginia colleges and universities from dispensing emergency contraception passed the House of Delegates yesterday and went on to the Senate for consideration.
Del. Robert Marshall, R-Prince William, who sponsored the legislation, contends that public universities do not have the right to distribute emergency contraception.
"Colleges should not be in the business of turning young women into love canals for frat house playboys," Marshall said. Emergency contraception "encourages a kind of behavior that results in more STDs and emotional problems."
Holly Hatcher, director of the statewide organization for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said Planned Parenthood is against the bill.
"It is completely unfair for politicians to impart their personal morals on college students," Hatcher said. "Politicians try to blur the line between contraception and abortion."
Marshall also said the pill has not undergone sufficient testing, which he said could harm women and prove to be an ineffective birth control method.
Distributing the pill "is conducting medical experiments on women," Marshall said. "Some doctors with brains and backbone know what is going on."
Gov. Mark R. Warner must approve the bill in order for it to become a law. Warner spokesperson Ellen Qualls said the governor is opposed to the legislation.
"He believes that contraception and the use thereof should be guided by the FDA, not the General Assembly or the Board of Visitors," Qualls said. "The governor believes contraception is contraception, not abortion."
Qualls said she cannot speculate as to whether the Senate will approve the legislation.
Hatcher said the tone of the Senate is different than the House, which she said leads her to believe the bill might not succeed.
"I think the legislators behind the bill are anti-choice hardliners out of touch with the mainstream," Hatcher said.
Information on emergency contraceptives is especially important among college students, according to Hatcher.
"Basic medical services require that all healthcare centers provide information [on contraceptives], especially on college campuses where there are higher incidents of rape," Hatcher said. "I hope students at every university are organizing against the legislation."
University spokesperson Carol Wood said it is too early to determine the bill's potential impact on students.
"We need time to study the legislation to see what it is actually saying," Wood said. "It is subject to many interpretations."
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