Prevention First Act of 2009 (S.21); (H.R.463)

This bill is comprised of eight separate acts intended to expand access to women’s health care, including reproductive health care that helps reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions.  Some of these bills will be introduced as separate, free-standing, bills.   The Responsible Education About Life Act (REAL) has been introduced. Read full text.

The following bills make up the Prevention First Act.

• The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act authorizes state grants for   sex education programs that include abstinence and contraception information to help prevent teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
• The Title X Family Planning Services Act authorizes appropriations for family planning services.
• The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act requires group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage to include coverage for contraceptive drugs. 
• The Emergency Contraception Education Act directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and disseminate information on emergency contraception to the public and to health care providers.
• The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act requires hospitals receiving federal funds to offer and provide emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
• The Truth in Contraception Act requires that federally funded education programs providing information on contraceptives give medically accurate information and include health benefits and failure rates.

• The Unintended Pregnancy Reduction Act expands Medicaid family planning services.
• The At Risk Communities Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act authorizes grants for programs to prevent teenage pregnancy and requires teenage pregnancy prevention research.

Status/ Last Major Action:  

Senate
No major actions have been taken.

House
No major actions have been taken.

Cosponsors:

Senate
Chief Sponsor: Sen. Harry Reid [NV] plus 29 Co-Sponsors.

House:
Chief Sponsor: Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter [NY28] plus 145 Co-Sponsors.