SALT LAKE CITY — A bill introduced in the Utah State Legislature would close all abortion clinics in the state by 2024, leaving it up to hospitals to provide them.
House Bill 467, sponsored by Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, also sets some strict guidelines on abortion providers in hospitals. It also codifies the law to reflect Utah's near-total abortion ban that is currently being litigated in the courts.
“This bill does not affect the ongoing court case,” Rep. Lisonbee said in a text message toThe Salt Lake Tribune. “While we anxiously await the court’s ruling, we are proposing these changes because it is the state’s responsibility to protect the most vulnerable, and that includes the unborn. We have worked closely with area doctors and hospitals to ensure that our statute strikes the best balance in protecting innocent life and protecting women who experience rare and dangerous complications during pregnancy.”
In a statement to FOX 13 News, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah CEO Karrie Galloway said it had eight clinics across Utah.
"By restricting where, how and when Utahns can access essential health care, this bill turns back the clock, making abortion prohibitively difficult to access and pregnancy and childbirth much more dangerous for Utah families. It is more proof that some politicians won't stop until every aspect of reproductive health is micro-managed by people who don't care about or understand these complex and personal medical issues," she said. "How many times must Utah politicians prove to the world they are anti-abortion extremists who want to control our lives, bodies, and futures? And at what cost to our state’s health care system and reputation?"
The bill is scheduled to be heard in a House committee on Wednesday afternoon.
FOX 13 News is in a news sharing partnership with The Salt Lake Tribune.
