Some health advocates and New York lawmakers are "pushing" for the passage of two bills that would allow emergency contraception to be sold over the counter without a prescription and would require emergency rooms to offer EC to rape survivors, Long Island Newsday reports. The first bill (A 888), introduced by Assembly member Amy Paulin (D), would issue a "standard prescription" for pharmacies to sell EC, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 after unprotected sex. The second bill (A 15) sponsored by Assembly member Susan John (D) and Sen. Nicholas Spano (R), would require all hospitals in the state -- including religiously affiliated hospitals -- to offer EC to rape survivors. New York State Catholic Conference spokesperson Kathleen Gallagher said Catholic hospitals provide the pills in rape cases but "only after a pregnancy test comes back negative," according to Newsday (Ramos, Long Island Newsday, 1/17). Preliminary results from a Family Planning Advocates of New York State survey found that at least 29 of the state's 211 hospitals do not provide EC to rape survivors. Currently, the New York State Department of Health does not require hospitals to dispense EC, and some hospitals choose to inform rape victims of the option but refer them elsewhere to obtain the medication. The Assembly last year passed a bill requiring emergency rooms to supply EC and information about abortion to rape survivors but the measure never made it to a vote in the state Senate (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 1/16).