Health — Contraceptive coverage

This year's session will include yet another push — the 10th in as many years — to require health insurance companies to cover contraceptives.

Longtime state Sen. Paula Julander, D-Salt Lake, ran the legislation each session for eight years prior to her resignation in 2005. Democrat Scott McCoy took over Julander's District 2 seat last February and immediately picked up the charge for mandated birth control coverage.

"It's a matter of women's health and equality," McCoy said of his reason to continue to support Julander's efforts.

While McCoy applauds the insurance companies that already provide contraceptive coverage, he said fairness dictates that all companies be required to do so.

SB42 allows an exemption for religious employers whose tenets forbid contraception but only for those employers whose "religious values are the purpose of the entity" and that "serves primarily persons who share the religious tenets of the entity."