Utah Passes Legislation to Functionally Eliminate Abortion Access in State
For Immediate Release: March 3, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Today, the Utah Legislature passed HB 467, a bill that would push abortion care out of clinics and functionally eliminate abortion access in the state. The bill aims to bypass the court ruling currently blocking the state’s total ban by, among other things, amending the existing ban to restrict abortion care solely to hospitals. The Senate passed the legislation Thursday evening, after which it was sent back to the House for concurrence Friday morning. The bill now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk for signature.
Abortion is a critical component of reproductive health care and a safe procedure with a very low risk of complications in non-hospital settings, where it is usually provided. Today, most Utah patients receive abortion care in a clinic and most hospitals in Utah do not currently provide abortion except in the most extreme circumstances. In fact, Utah law allows hospitals – and individual providers – to refuse care to patients seeking abortion. And, HB 467 includes language that would further discourage hospital providers from offering care in their facilities, leaving Utahns with effectively no options for accessing abortion in the state.
"Nothing in this bill makes abortions in Utah safer, more affordable, or more accessible for the thousands of Utahns who need this essential health care each year,” said Karrie Galloway, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. “It has one goal: put abortion out of reach for as many Utahns as possible no matter what their faith, family, and trusted medical providers decide is best for their safety and health.”
“HB 467 is nothing but shameful procedural and political maneuvering intended to get around a valid court decision and prevent Utahns from accessing abortion,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Today’s passage is just one part of a nationwide campaign by anti-abortion extremists to end legal abortion throughout the United States, and it will have devastating impacts on Utah communities.”
Planned Parenthood is committed to ensuring that Utahns and all people can get abortion when they need it, and we will continue to do all we can to protect and maintain access to that care. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah is considering all options in response to ongoing extremist efforts to end abortion in the state.
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