American Civil Liberties Union

Reproductive Freedom:
The ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project protects everyone's right to make informed decisions free from government interference about whether and when to become a parent. Learn more about our work in reproductive health and take action to protect rights guaranteed to all Americans.


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Reproductive Freedom : Religion : Press Releases

ACLU Asks Government to Investigate Evidence of Taxpayer Dollars Funding Religion in Oregon Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (05/03/2007)
SALEM, Ore. – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Oregon today asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) to investigate evidence of misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote one faith over others in an abstinence-only-until-marriage program Stop and Think. The groups threatened to pursue legal action if HHS and DHS fail to take sufficient measures within the month.

ACLU of Florida Applauds New Wal-Mart Policy Requiring its Pharmacies to Fill Valid Requests for Birth Control (04/04/2007)
MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today applauded a decision by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., requiring the national retail chain’s pharmacies to satisfy valid requests for birth control, including emergency contraception (EC). The policy shift came in response to Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s “Fill My Pills Now!” campaign, in which the ACLU of Florida participated.

ACLU Urges Wisconsin Court to Uphold Decision Allowing Discipline of Pharmacist Who Refused to Refill a Prescription for Birth Control Pills (02/05/2007)
MADISON – The American Civil Liberties Union today urged a Wisconsin court to affirm a lower court decision upholding the state’s discipline of a pharmacist who refused to refill a prescription for birth control pills without ensuring that the patient would be able to get her medication.

Proposed New York State Hospital Closures, Mergers and Downsizings Could Endanger Women's Health, Groups Warn (11/28/2006)
NEW YORK - Proposed closings, downsizings and consolidations of New York hospitals recommended by a state commission today could endanger community access to reproductive health services, women's health advocates warned today.

Abstinence-Only Sex Education May Endanger Youth in Leesburg, FL, ACLU Says (11/03/2006)
LEESBURG, FL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today expressed concern over the announcement that the Christian Care Center, a ministry of First Baptist of Leesburg, will use a $2 million federal grant to teach abstinence-only education to teens.

ACLU and NYCLU Hail Decision Upholding Law Requiring Insurers to Cover Contraceptives (10/19/2006)
ALBANY, NY - The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union today praised a decision by the highest court in New York upholding a law requiring insurance companies to include contraceptive coverage in drug benefit packages. The groups called the today’s unanimous decision a victory for women’s health and an important step toward ending gender discrimination in insurance coverage.

Law Requiring Insurers to Cover Contraceptives Promotes Women’s Health and Reduces Discrimination, ACLU and NYCLU Say (09/06/2006)
ALBANY - The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union today said a New York state law requiring insurance companies to include contraceptive coverage in drug benefit packages promotes women’s health and is an important step toward ending gender discrimination in insurance coverage. The organizations voiced support for the law as argument got underway today in court.

ACLU Hails Rhode Island Department of Education Efforts to Stop the Use of Harmful "Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage" Curriculum in Public Schools (03/22/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- Responding to a complaint filed by the Rhode Island American Civil Liberties Union last September, the state’s Department of Education (DOE) issued an advisory to all school districts last week, instructing them to stop using a federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum in the public schools. Today the ACLU hailed the development, arguing that the curriculum had raised serious privacy and discrimination concerns and needed to be stopped.

ACLU Announces Settlement in Challenge to Government-Funded Religion in the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program the “Silver Ring Thing” (02/23/2006)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a settlement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a case challenging federal funding of religious activities in a nationwide abstinence-only-until-marriage program, the Silver Ring Thing.

ACLU and NYCLU Applaud Court Decision Promoting Women’s Health and Ending Gender Discrimination in Insurance Coverage (01/12/2006)
ALBANY - The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union today praised a decision by a New York court of appeals upholding a state law requiring insurance companies to include contraceptive coverage in their drug benefit packages.

ACLU and Broad Coalition Criticize Government’s Refusal to Release Documents on Lack of Pregnancy Prevention Information in National Sexual Assault Protocol (12/20/2005)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today, along with a broad coalition of sexual assault groups, religious leaders, and women’s health advocates, criticized the U.S. Department of Justice’s refusal to release records pertaining to the department’s failure to include any reference to emergency contraception in the first-ever national protocol for treating sexual assault victims.

ACLU Applauds Federal Government's Decision to Suspend Public Funding of Religion by Nationwide Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (08/22/2005)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP applauded the federal government's decision today to suspend the flow of taxpayer dollars funding the Silver Ring Thing, a nationwide ministry that uses abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education as a means to bring "unchurched" students to Jesus Christ.

ACLU Challenges Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars to Fund Religion in Nationwide Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (05/16/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP today filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's misuse of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the ""Silver Ring Thing,"" a nationwide ministry program that uses abstinence-only sex education as a means to bring ""unchurched"" students to Jesus Christ.

ACLU Asks Court to Stop Louisiana Governor's Program on Abstinence From Continuing to Preach with Taxpayer Dollars (03/24/2005)
NEW ORLEANS - In a court hearing today, the American Civil Liberties Union asked a U.S. District Court in Louisiana to find the Governor's Program on Abstinence in contempt of a 2002 order requiring it to keep religion out of the taxpayer-funded sex education program.

ACLU Asks Court to Hold Louisiana's Abstinence-Only Program in Contempt, Citing Numerous Violations of 2002 Order (01/20/2005)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked a U.S. District Court in Louisiana to find the Governor's Program on Abstinence in contempt of a 2002 order requiring it to keep religion out of the taxpayer-funded sex education program.

ACLU Applauds California for Acting to Protect State Laws Aimed at Safeguarding Women's Health (12/08/2004)
SAN FRANCISCO - The American Civil Liberties Union today praised California Attorney General Bill Lockyer for vowing to take action against a federal provision, signed into law today by President Bush, that would take away the state's ability to enforce its laws protecting women's reproductive health and rights, including laws that ensure that women can obtain lifesaving emergency abortions.

ACLU Calls On Lawmakers to Stop Spending Taxpayer Dollars on Dangerous Abstinence-Only Sex Education (12/01/2004)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today hailed the release of a comprehensive review of curriculums used in federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs, saying that it shows the government should not spend taxpayer dollars on programs that withhold vital life-saving information and mislead teenagers.

ACLU Condemns Passage of Measure That Allows Religiously Affiliated Health Care Institutions to Jeopardize Women's Health (11/20/2004)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today condemned the passage of a provision that would allow insurance companies, HMOs, and other health care institutions to refuse to provide abortion services or even give information about those services. The provision was tacked onto an omnibus spending bill and was passed without a vote of either the full Senate or the full House.

ACLU Asks Louisiana to Remove Religious Content from Abstinence-Only Website, Citing Numerous Violations of 2002 Agreement (11/17/2004)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked Louisiana to remove all religious content from a state-sponsored abstinence-only sex education website, saying the material violates a 2002 legal settlement and court order prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the Governor's Program on Abstinence. The ACLU promised further legal action if the offending material is not taken down within 30 days.

Supreme Court Denies Review of California Law Requiring Employers That Provide Prescription Drug Benefits to Include Contraceptive Coverage (10/04/2004)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court today turned down a request by Catholic Charities in California to review a state supreme court decision requiring employers that provide prescription drug benefits to include contraceptive coverage. By refusing to hear the case, the High Court leaves in place a ruling that the California Women's Contraceptive Equity Act promotes women's health and eliminates gender discrimination.

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