Obviously, the big news is that Gregoire signed the marriage equality bill into law. While we’ve known it was going to happen for some time, it’s still quite amazing. Very recently this seemed like an impossibility, and now it’s a reality. Of course there’s a real possibility that it will come before voters in November, but for now, it’s just wonderful.
Also, even though the bill info isn’t updated in the legislative web page [sorry, I linked to the senate version, here’s the correct link, and it works fine. I remain an idiot], I’m getting a press release from Washington NARAL that:
This evening the Washington House stood up for women’s health and passed the Reproductive Parity Act (HB 2330) by a vote of 52-46. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Eileen Cody (D-34), requires all health insurance policies that cover maternity care to cover abortion care. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington thanks the representatives who voted to protect women’s access to basic reproductive health care coverage.
And it looks like it’s going to pass the state senate.
Before some troll goes off half-cocked:
“The bill … includes a conscience clause so that religious health insurance companies or hospitals would not have to pay for or provide abortions if they object to doing so on religious grounds.”
http://publicola.com/2012/02/1.....omen-cars/
Roger Rabbit Commentary: If you have a conscience problem with abortions, don’t perform them. If you’re an insurance company, not a church, you have no conscience, so why do you care? Any business executive worth a damn will see abortion coverage as another profit opportunity. I’m not saying that’s moral, but what commerce is?