Sen. Keiser: ‘Plan B’ will be before 2008 Legislature

OLYMPIA – Following today’s announcement that a federal judge has suspended Washington’s requirement that pharmacists sell "morning-after" birth control pills, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, guaranteed that legislation to codify the requirement will be heard during the 2008 legislative session.

“I already have a bill ready to drop that would codify the current rule into statute,” Keiser said. “I’ll consult with attorneys to ensure our legislation addresses the court’s concerns.”

Keiser has been concerned for months about a possible injunction, and prepared a bill in case the state Pharmacy Board requirement was blocked in federal court. She chairs the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee, which will likely hold hearings on the Plan B requirement early in the session.

“It is unconscionable that we would allow pharmacists to deny women access to a legal form of birth control,” Keiser said. “We need to take this issue out of the courts and into state law.”

The 2008 session is scheduled to begin January 14. Bills can be pre-filed beginning on December 3.

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