Arizona House committee advances bill regulating abortion pill distribution

Lawmakers in the Arizona House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill last week that would establish regulations surrounding abortion pill distribution in the state.

HB 2681 would establish a number of requirements meant to ensure the safety of women taking the abortion pill, including requiring a physician to first examine the patient, a blood test to confirm gestational age, and a follow-up visit with a doctor. The bill would also ban mail-order abortion pills.

Unsurprisingly, abortion advocates are leaning heavily on the fact that the state passed an amendment establishing a constitutional ‘right’ to abortion in their protest against the bill.

“Arizona voters decisively approved Proposition 139 enshrining the constitutional right to abortion and establishing that abortion care prior to fetal viability is a fundamental right,” said Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist for the group Reproductive Freedom for All.

“Arizonans spoke loud and clear last election when they overwhelmingly approved Proposition 139,’’ added Erika Mach, a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona. “Yet this Republican-controlled state Legislature is continuing to introduce and advance legislation that amends and dismantles this newly founded constitutional right to abortion.’’

READ: Woman describes harrowing abortion pill experience: ‘I nearly died’

According to the Arizona Capitol Times, the bill’s sponsor Rep. Rachel Keshel did not have a comment regarding her bill, but Mayra Rodriguez of Arizona Right to Life was on hand to lobby for it. Rodriguez, who used to work for Planned Parenthood, explained that many women are given the abortion pill with no guidance at all and are completely unprepared for what happens afterward.

Live Action has shared the stories of many women who had traumatic experiences taking the abortion pill in its I Saw My Baby campaign.

1st Trimester Abortion | The Abortion Pill | What Is Abortion?

Supporters of the bill also testified that the state still has a responsibility to protect women from the dangerous risks of the abortion pill. These risks increase when the pill is taken as part of a “no-test” protocol, which occurs without an in-person visit with a doctor. When a mother is not required to get an ultrasound or any blood tests beforehand, there is no way to truly confirm a preborn child’s gestational age, and no way to rule out an ectopic pregnancy or any other contraindications that may put the mother at risk.

The bill passed the committee on a party-line vote.