Newman bill would prevent men from receiving vasectomies

With her latest piece of legislation, Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis, is hitting men right where it hurts. The news release is printed below:


On the heels of the Missouri House debating a birth control resolution (HCR41) last week at length, yesterday (Wednesday) State Rep. Stacey Newman filed HB1853 which would prevent men from vasectomies unless needed to avert serious injury or death.
 
“I was one of the 'Silenced Seven,' seven progressive Democratic women, who stood at the microphones for over three hours last Wednesday and were not allowed to speak on a topic unique to females,” said Newman, who chairs the House Progressive Caucus.  If we are going to seriously restrict access to birth control used by over 98% of Missouri women and widely used since 1960, then it’s only fair we legislate men’s access as well.”
 
The anti-vasectomy bill reads in part:  “In determining whether a vasectomy is necessary, no regard shall be made to the desire of a man to father children, his economic situation, his age, the number of children he is currently responsible for, or any danger to his wife or partner in the event a child is conceived. A vasectomy shall only be performed to avert the death of the man or avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the man. “
 
HB1853 was co-sponsored by Representatives Jones (63), McCreery, Nichols, Walton Gray, Oxford, Pace, Morgan and Spreng.  No men were asked to co-sponsor a bill tailored specifically to men in response to the women not being allowed to speak on the resolution regarding women’s reproductive health.  Noticeably HB1853 was not read aloud on the House floor Wednesday afternoon as other newly filed bills were first read.
 
Newman’s bill borrows language liberally from fellow Democrat colleague, Georgia State Rep. Yasmin Neal who filed a similar vasectomy bill last week after a severe anti-abortion bill was debated in the Georgia state legislature.  Their efforts reflect a nationwide pushback to anti-birth control and restrictive reproductive efforts in legislatures and in Congress.  In January, Virginia State Sen. Janet Howell offered an amendment, requiring rectal exams for men before obtaining prescriptions such as Viagra, on an intrusive pregnancy ultrasound bill.