Ohio lawmaker: 'I am serious' about Viagra bill

>>> this yearless than a quarter into 2012 , 430 reproductive bills have surfaced in states across the country, including in a heartbeat bill, one to ban abortion once a heartbeat is detected. but now a state senator is calling for equal rights for men. introducing a bill for viagra before a prescription is written men have to see a sex therapist . ohio state senator nina turner is joining me now. good to see you, senator. good morning.

>> good morning, chris .

>> if we're getting viagra or those types of drugs, you want men to get a cardiac stress test, and an affidavit from the sex partner. you know the yes everyone is asking, are you serious?

>> i'm just as serious as the men policymakers across the nation who introduced bills to regulate a woman's reproductive health . for far too long elected officials, especially women , we have advocated our responsibility to show men much love in the reproductive health arena as they have shown us over the years. so my senate bill 307 is all about the love and making sure we look out for men's sexual health .

>> i can see you're feeling the love, but some people have chuckled and one of your fellow ohio state lawmakers said, comparing the heartbeat bill to your bill is like comparing apples and bananas. lynn waftman said, quote, i understand some people think my bill is protecting the unborn. to compare this to viagra is not even related. how do you respond?

>> apples and bananas are all fruit, and within the bill is ludicrous language about women getting a written explanation. certainly my bill took that language in that a man has to have a long conversation with his physician to determine whether or not this is physical or mental on top of making sure that he sees a sex therapist . chris , we have to make sure we guide men to make the right decisions that maybe these drugs may not be the best decision for them to make. celibacy is always an option or natural remedies , but this is about setting and leveling the playing field . women , we are not going to continue to take this lying down. we are going to stand up for the rights that our foremothers fought for. we'll stand up for ourselves. and we are certainly standing up for future generations of young women . women should not need a permission slip from government to take care of their own reproductive health .

>> given the fact that most members of the ohio legislature are men, i'm guessing it doesn't have a lot of chance of passing. having said that, i'm interesting in what reaction you've been getting to this.

>> a lot of reaction from all across the country from women and from men who love and respect women . chris , i remember an older woman talking about in the '70s when wanting her tubes tied , she needed her husband to sign the permission slip before having her tubes tied . we are not going back to the dark ages in this country. we have to stand up and fight . and i want to thank all the men who love and respect women , all of the men who understand that women are equals in this country, and that we don't need permission from government to decide what is in our best interest .

>> ohio state senator nina turner, great to have you on the program.