legislative update

The following are some of the important matters being considered by Ohio and national legislators. PREGNANCY AND ABORTION RIGHTS

A federal bill, S.2614, has been proposed which would redirect 40 percent of Title X family planning funds to antiabortion groups such as Birthright; would require parental notification of minors seeking contraceptives; and would not allow federal grants to any entity which promotes or provides abortion services (i.e., Planned Parenthood). However, a bill has also been introduced to expand the funding of family planning services under Title X. This bill is in the House Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment.

Of prime concern is the Beard amendment to the Pregnancy Disability Bill (H.R. 6075), passed by the Senate in September 1977 and which was to be voted on by the House of Representatives in early June. The bill requires that employers providing health coverage must also provide for pregnancy-related insurance and disability coverage. The Beard Amendment broadens the attack on abortion rights by allowing employers to refuse these same benefits for abortion procedures or abortion-related disability. The bill has now been taken from the suspension calendar and the Committee may delay bringing it to the floor. The suspension procedure does not allow for full debate or any amendments, and there was considerable objection to this procedure from Congresspersons. Opposition has been voiced by many Congresspersons to the entire bill and in particular to the inclusion of the Beard Amendment.

On the state level, thirteen states have passed resolutions calling for a Federal Constitutional Convention so that, among other things, abortion might again become illegal. To call this convention, two-thirds of the states must pass resolutions, and the opposition is only 25 states away from this goal.

Locally, the ACLU has filed for a permanent restraining order against the Akron ordinance limiting the availability of abortion services, and is challenging the constitutionality of this very restric-

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tive ordinance. Currently this ordinance is being. introduced in Dayton, Toledo, Louisville, Ky., and Harrisburg, Pa.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK

There are no state or federal laws explicitly prohibiting sexual harassment at work. The victim can file sexual assault charges in criminal court if her/his employer actually attacks her/him. If the worker has witnesses or written evidence of the harassment, the worker can file sex discrimination charges with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. Sexual harassment is beginning to be viewed by some courts as a form of sex discrimination. Unfortunately, the difficulty of proving sexual harassment (there are seldom witnesses) prevents many harassers from being punished. No Ohio legislation has been proposed to remedy the problem. For information about sexual harassment at work, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope

to:

Working Women United Institute -Dept. R 593 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10021

POTENTIAL SERVICES TO BATTERED WOMEN

During August, each Ohio County Welfare Department will hold a hearing regarding the proposed State Plan for Social Services (Title XX) for fiscal year 1979. The Title XX provision s include "protective care to adults" for persons "who are harmed or threatened with harm through the action or inaction of another individual... Services can include: counseling; emergency homemaker ser vice; placement of the individual in another residential setting; and, arranging for legal services, guardianship services or protective payee services. Each county decides which services it will provide to its adults, and many of these services are not made available to battered women even though they could

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be included within the definition mentioned above. This hearing invites input on the use of Title XX funds. Call your County Welfare Department and find out how to contact the chairperson of your County Advisory Committee regarding the use of these funds.

EMPLOYMENT

According to Ohio law, most employers of four or more persons may not discriminate against employees or interviewees because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, or handicap. However, women are sometimes more directly affected than their male co-workers by some statutory provisions. Ohio law provides 20 percent bonus points to war veterans who receive passing scores on state civil service exams. A woman who competes against a veteran for a position may actually score higher than the veteran, but the veteran could be offered the job due to the added veteran's preference points. While there is no legislation seeking to abolish veterans' preference points, S.B. 304 (Valiquette) and H.B. 965 (Begala) seek in part to extend the 20 percent bonus to homemakers as well.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, age discrimination in employment is prohibited for persons age 40-65, but no state enforcement procedures are included in the law. While H.B. 598 (Skeen) would provide for civil actions in cases of age

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discrimination for employees age 40-65, S.B. 60 (McCormack) and H.B. 604 (Hartley) would provide for civil actions for persons age 18 or over. S.B. 377 (Freeman) would abolish a mandatory retirement age for public employees and prohibit discrimination for public employee's age 18 or older.

A new law which gives state employees more control over their work schedules becomes effective on August 29, 1978. The law, which applies to employees whose wages are paid in whole or in part by the State of Ohio, allows up to 20 percent of all positions to be designed so that employees may elect to work more or less than eight hours on any given day provided the person works 40 hours within the same week (flexítime). Provisions for sick leave, vacation pay, and compensatory time compare to those for other full-time employees. Overtime is defined as working time which exceeds 40 hours per week. The catch in this law involves holiday pay. No matter how many hours the person would have been scheduled to work on a holiday, s/he may only receive eight hours of pay. However, this catchy system is the subject of another bill which seeks to improve the situation for workers,

On the federal scene, S.50, the "Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1977", would provide, in part, for education and training programs as well as day care in order to reach the goal of full employ. ment. This bill also contains an antidiscrimination clause.

S.517, the "Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedule Act" would require the Civil Service Commission to develop a comprehensive plan to establish flexitime provisions and compressed work schedules for federal employees. S.B. 2845, the "Education and Childcare Reemployment Rights Act of 1978" would provide that persons whose employer uses articles that were shipped interstate; who have worked for that employer for five years; and who relinquish employment for child care or educational reasons, would be eligible for reemployment by that place of employment in a position of like status, seniority, and pay. This bill is under consideration in the Senate Human Resources Committee. Pending state legislation includes H.B. 835, providing remedies and procedures in cases of abuse of adults and children; H.B. 1014, allowing the printing or publishing of advertisements or notices with the intent to procure or aid in procuring divorces or dissolutions of marriage in Ohio or elsewhere; S.B. 513, increasing the minimum and maximum age requirements in order for a minor to be classified as a victim of various sexual assaults; and S.B.514, providing civil and criminal remedies for victims of domestic violence, creating penalties, and requiring the Attorney General's office to make a report on domestic violence.

[What She Wants wishes to thank Preterm and the State of Ohio Women's Information Center Status Report for the above legislative information.]