Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru the end of 2024, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
Advanced Search
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
07/27/2024 10:43 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20230&chamber=H&cosponId=38024
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 1, 2022 03:06 PM
From: Representative Elizabeth Fiedler and Rep. Dan Frankel
To: All House members
Subject: Expanding the Types of Healthcare Professionals Who Can Provide Abortion Care
 
Abortion is healthcare, and healthcare is a human right. Therefore, people should not be prevented from receiving abortion services due to a lack of providers.

Across the Commonwealth, many people seeking abortion care are unable to access medical services. 87% of PA counties do not have a single healthcare clinic that provides abortion care. Bans in neighboring states have forced patients to travel to get abortion care, making it more difficult than ever for our healthcare providers to the needs of patients. Challenges that interfere with obtaining abortion care do not affect all patients equally and victims of abuse and individuals living in poverty are most likely to find these obstacles unsurmountable.

To ensure that every person can get the reproductive care they need, we will soon introduce legislation to will allow registered nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants to perform medication and aspiration abortions. A six-year study found that first-trimester abortions are equally safe whether performed by a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a midwife or a physician’s assistant. The legislation will also include language stating that the decision to have an abortion is the sole decision of the patient. 

Nineteen other states and the District of Columbia already allow non-physicians to perform abortions, and several others have similar legislation pending. The World Health Organization, the American Public Health Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all support expansions of who can provide abortions.

Please join us in co-sponsoring this effort to make certain that every person can obtain the abortion services they need.