New Mexico Senate committee advances bill to repeal abortion reporting requirement

Lawmakers in the New Mexico Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee advanced a bill on Monday that would repeal a law requiring the reporting of abortion statistics in the state — a law that legislators admit hasn't been enforced since 2019.

Key Takeaways:

• SB 30, which would repeal the abortion reporting requirement, advanced the Senate committee along party lines.

• Supporters of the bill admitted that the law hasn't been enforced since 2019, but since it is "over 50 years old" it should just be repealed.

• A spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico warned that removing the reporting requirement also removes transparency, especially in regards to taxpayer-funded abortions.

The Details:

Senate Bill 30 would repeal the current abortion reporting requirement contained within the state's vital statistics law. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Peter Wirth, said that because the law is "over 50 years old” and “out of date,” it should no longer be enforced.

As the organization Abortion Free New Mexico noted, "Rather than address years of non-enforcement or strengthen public accountability, lawmakers chose to repeal the law entirely, eliminating abortion reporting requirements without replacement."

Abortion in New Mexico is legal through all nine months of pregnancy, with no restrictions like mandatory waiting periods or parental consent laws. The abortion reporting requirement is one of the very few remaining regulations designed to protect women.

As Tara Shaver, spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico warned, "SB 30 does not improve healthcare. It does not protect patients. It does not reform reporting. SB 30 eliminates transparency."

The bill passed the committee along party lines and next advances to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Why it Matters:

Abortion reports typically offer a variety of data surrounding abortion in the state, and may include details like the number of abortions by mother’s age and race, methods of abortion used, gestational age of child, reported maternal reasons for abortion, and more. Identifying or personal information is never included.

These reports are an important tool for pro-lifers who want to ensure that abortion laws are being followed, and who want to see how they can better help women in need. They also offer transparency about potential abortion injuries or violations.

As Shaver also noted during the committee hearing, taxpayer funds are being used for elective abortions in the state, yet a lack of reporting means that taxpayers aren't given details about how their money is being used.

“In the third trimester, an abortion can cost as much as $17,500,” Shaver said. “When public money is being used, the public has a right to basic transparency — to know what their money is funding, where it is going, and what outcomes are occurring.”

The Bottom Line:

Abortion supporters like to continually champion that 'abortion is healthcare.' If this is true, Shaver said, they would not shrink from sharing abortion reports.

“Authentic healthcare does not operate in secrecy," she said. "Authentic healthcare requires standards, inspections, and accountability. And healthcare does not ask lawmakers to look away — especially when taxpayer dollars are involved.”