FPA in the News: 2007

Legislative Gazette
Winner, Gottfried introduce sex ed. bill
By: Ariana Cohn
1.29.07

The Healthy Teens Act, a bill designed to fund comprehensive sexual education for youth, as opposed to abstinence-only education, was introduced in both the Senate and Assembly last Tuesday. The bill was sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan, and Sen. George Winner, R,C-Elmira and was co-sponsored by Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, D-Mamaroneck.

The bill was passed last year in the Assembly by a vote of 127-15, but died in the Senate. Many legislators saw a need for this bill based on the information that New York’s teen pregnancy rate had reached almost 40,000 for mothers between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2004.

Members of Planned Parenthood organizations across the state and several state legislators gathered at a press conference last Tuesday where Winner called the Healthy Teens Act a “high priority” saying, “We have an alarming teen pregnancy rate.” He said the bill affects him personally. “I have three daughters and am interested in their well being,” he said, “It is very important for [all] young people in the state.”

“We truly believe that the people in New York State deserve better,” said JoAnn Smith, president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York State, an organization strongly in support of the bill. “Parents and families of New York State want this bill,” she said.

The Rev. Joel Miller, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, said that the bill will bring positive results. “From my experience in the church, [sex] education puts off sexual activity by years,” he said, “It reduces unwanted pregnancies and [sexually transmitted diseases] dramatically.”