I viewed the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor's February 20th, 2023
hearing concerning Senate Bill 131.
It's my understanding that the bill is about protecting licensed medical staff practicing
and providing reproductive healthcare to an out-of-state patient [traveling to Nevada
for reproductive healthcare services legally practiced in this state]. The bill would
assure doctors that the state of NV will NOT participate in an out-of-state criminal
prosecution of those receiving or providing reproductive health care services in
Nevada.
During the hearing, a concern was raised that this bill would make Nevada a
“sanctuary state” for those seeking an abortion for human trafficking victims. I
believe insinuating that this bill would somehow protect ‘traffickers’ is acrobatic
framing and an unfounded attempt by anti-choice advocates to stop this bill
from being passed.
The medical professionals practicing in the state of Nevada need legal protections
from “anti-choice states” attempting to criminalize providing reproductive care for
people, or I fear Nevada will suffer a more significant health care provider shortage.
We already have an issue with a popular nationwide chain pharmaceutical
corporation refusing to fill prescriptions for an ‘abortion pill’ simply for fear of reprisal
by certain states that have made abortion illegal. With the ever-increasing 'anti-
choice' legislation in certain states, I think a bill such as this is unfortunately necessary and would send a clear message to anti-choice states.
Nevada, protect our doctors and be a state known for refusing to participate in fascism.
