SEATTLE — The American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and the Northwest Women’s Law Center are appealing a federal judge’s ruling that Washington state pharmacies do not have to sell “morning-after” birth control pills if their pharmacists have moral objections.
A federal court judge in Tacoma issued an injunction last month preventing the state from enforcing a rule that pharmacies make the drug available. The organizations appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week, saying the ruling misconstrues legal precedent, and they asked the judge to stay the injunction while the appeal pends.
Sold as “Plan B,” the drug can dramatically lower the risk of pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. People 18 and older can buy it without prescription in a pharmacy.
Critics consider the pill tantamount to abortion, although it is different from the abortion pill RU-486 and has no effect on women who already are pregnant.
@3. Headline Briefs 14 no:Gov. announces plans for campus security
Gov. Chris Gregoire says she will ask the Legislature for $14.3 million to improve safety on the state’s college and university campuses.
In a news conference Tuesday at the University of Washington, Gregoire said every campus needs money to review its emergency plans and improve instant warning systems.
The governor says she won’t be asking for many other new budget items for higher education when the Legislature meets early next year. But the governor says campus security improvements can’t wait until the next time lawmakers consider the
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