COLUMBUS, Ohio — At the Capitol Tuesday, State Senator Teresa Fedor and State Representative Tyrone Yates introduced a bill that immediately generated controversy.
It involves birth control, sex ed, and abortion.
"These are issues that need to be talked about," Fedor told ONN's Jim Heath. "The more we're talking about reasonable honest sex education it helps people understand it, and make good decisions that put people in charge of their health."
Among other things, the Ohio Prevention First Act would mandate schools teach sex education, and that pharmacies sell the morning after abortion pill.
Ideas, Yates said, the public shouldn't fear.
"I think that you have to continue to talk about it. To have the conversation," Yates said.
The legislation would also force all insurance companies to offer birth control, but Fedor admits she's not sure how many companies would be affected.
"We haven't been able to find that number," Fedor said. "Even union contracts sometimes don't cover contraception, even if it doesn't cost any more for insurance companies to add on that trailer."
Right to Life groups around Ohio said the bill could be finished before any debate begins.
"The basic problem with the bill is that it violates the conscience rights of pro life taxpayers, pharmacists and religious affiliated hospitals by forcing them to promote or distribute the morning after pill," said Ohio Right to Life spokesman Mark Lally.
The morning after pill is one of many reasons Republicans don't support the bill, although Senate president Bill Harris said he will refer it to a committee.
Fedor admits it's an uphill battle, but suggests sexism is part of the problem.
"Men didn't have to have a mandate for viagra and all the other medical prescriptions that they have easily been able to attach for their prescription drug coverage," Fedor said.
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