By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – The Missouri General Assembly convenes for the 2007 legislative session Wednesday.
One proposed bill would create rules for filling prescriptions for birth control and emergency contraceptives.
Pharmacists could still legally refuse to fill a prescription based on religious or ethical grounds, but they would have to connect a customer with another local pharmacy that would fill the prescription.
Democratic Representative Mike Talboy is the sponsor.
"What it is simply saying is that women and couples are going to be able to have access to contraceptive use and not be denied that just because of the pharmacists' objection to it," Talboy said.
The bill refers to a contraceptive as "all FDA-approved drugs or devices that prevent pregnancy".
Under that definition, the morning-after pill would be included.