A bill, prohibiting Arizona schools from either distributing contraceptives, or from referring students to agencies that dispense birth control without parental consent, was approved by the State House of Representatives on Thursday March 13, 1987.
At present no Arizona high schools dispense contraceptives, but the co-sponsors of the bill, Lela Steffey and Jim White, object to school clinics referring students to other sources. Moreover, Lela Steffey explained that she thought the school clinics (following the example in other States) would soon start dispensing contraceptives unless there were a law to stop them. Arizona believes in closing the stable door in time, and the bill was supported by Republicans and Democrats.
