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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 27, 2024 10:11 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Melissa L. Shusterman and Rep. Kristine C. Howard, Rep. Tarik Khan |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Removing the Waiting Period and Counseling Requirements for Abortion |
| Presently, women seeking an abortion in our Commonwealth must receive mandated counseling about all reproductive options and alternatives to abortion. In addition, a 24-hour waiting period is imposed before receiving an abortion. These requirements create obstacles and often deter pregnant individuals from accessing abortion care. The waiting period requirement forces women seeking care to make multiple trips to a clinic or health care provider. Patients find this requirement to be financially burdensome, as it requires them to take additional time off work, arrange childcare, and/or incur the expenses involved with travelling a long distance. Abortion is a safe, legal, and sometimes life-saving medical procedure, and it must be accessible for all who need it. Our legislation would remove the medically unnecessary 24-hour waiting period and counseling requirement from current Pennsylvania law. Abortion is health care. This bill is one step towards removing burdens that pregnant individuals face when accessing abortion care. By removing limitations like the 24-hour waiting period and mandatory counseling, we can continue to make abortion more accessible to all. Please join us by co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB2463