Albany, N.Y., Jul 12, 2005 / 22:00 pm
New York’s eight Catholic bishops have urged Gov. George Pataki to veto a bill that would make the morning-after pill, or Plan B, available without a prescription.
In their July 6 letter, the bishops urged the governor to restore "common sense and time-tested values to the public square" by vetoing the bill.
The bishops pointed out that the drug is an abortifacient. They also noted that the bill lacks an age restriction for the drug and doesn't require parental consent. They stated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year rejected a company's application to sell Plan B over the counter, citing concerns about whether young girls could use it safely.
The bill was passed in the New York state Senate June 22, but it has not yet been delivered to the governor.
The Democrat-led Assembly, which first approved the bill, has until the end of the first week in August to do deliver the bill to the governor, who then has 10 days to sign it or veto it. If the governor takes no action, it automatically becomes law.