Alaska Republican state Sen. Fred Dyson said sex without the goal of procreation is "recreation," so taxpayers shouldn't have to front the costs of frisky residents' contraception.
"I don't think there's an overwhelming or compelling reason for the state or the people -- i.e. other people's money -- to be required to finance other people's recreation," Dyson said on the Senate floor. "That's my own personal view.
The issue of Alaska's government paying for expanded family planning services arose during discussion on a bill that spells out when the state would pay for abortions under Medicaid, The Associated Press reported.
After a bit of "research," Dyson said he found that condoms are as cheap as a dollar apiece, and birth control pills cost from $18 to $30 monthly -- the price of four or five lattes, he said.
"It's my position that no one is prohibited from having birth control because of economic reasons," he said. "I've come to the conclusion that access, as in being able to get the product, is not a real problem."
Dyson added that it's easy to order contraceptive products online or over the phone, and Alaskans can use Goldstreak -- an accelerated delivery service -- if the need is dire.
Dyson mentioned that sex workers have told him they pay their contraceptive costs out of their profit.
"I'm told by people for whom sexual activity has a commercial aspect that the fee for service easily covers the cost of the supplies," he said.
"I think even the most active folks don't need to spend more than $2 or $3 a day for covering their activity."
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