Family-planning funding faces cuts

Women's health advocates are rallying against provisions of Gov. Scott Walker's proposed state budget they say would severely cripple the availability of family planning and sexual health services to low-income populations. The proposal would reduce funding for sexual assault victim services and pregnant woman smoking cessation program First Breath and repeal the Contraceptive Equity law that prevented insurance companies from denying coverage of prescription birth control, said Sara Finger, executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health. (WISCONSIN RAPIDS TRIBUNE, 3/22)