Oppose HB2074: Criminalizing Women Based on Misleading Political Language

I urge you to oppose HB2074, scheduled for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. This bill, sponsored by Representative Lisa Fink and five other Republican legislators, would require medical workers to immediately report alleged "partial-birth abortions" to county attorneys and explicitly states that women should not be exempt from civil or criminal liability. The clear intent is to criminalize women seeking medical care. The bill's foundation rests on a fundamental deception. "Partial-birth abortion" is not a medical term. It is political language created to mislead the public about reproductive healthcare. The medical community does not recognize this terminology because it does not describe any actual medical procedure. The bill's assertion that such procedures are "never medically necessary to preserve the life of a mother" contradicts established medical expertise and removes critical decision-making authority from physicians who understand individual patient circumstances. The scenario this bill purports to address does not exist in reality. Abortions occurring "moments before birth" or "after birth" do not happen in the United States, nor are they legal under any circumstances. This legislation manufactures a crisis to justify government intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship and to threaten women with prosecution for accessing healthcare. HB2074 amends Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13, Chapter 36, Section 3603.01, adding criminal code provisions based on fabricated medical scenarios. This creates a dangerous precedent where politicians override medical professionals using invented terminology. The mandatory reporting requirement would force healthcare providers to become law enforcement agents, fundamentally damaging the trust essential to quality medical care. Arizona women deserve healthcare decisions grounded in medical science, not political fiction. This bill endangers patient safety by inserting criminal liability into emergency medical situations where physicians need flexibility to preserve life and health. I ask you to vote no on HB2074 in committee and prevent this harmful legislation from advancing.