Oppose HB2229 Funding for Unlicensed Pregnancy Resource Centers

I urge you to oppose House Bill 2229, which would appropriate $3 million in state funds to pregnancy resource centers. This bill is scheduled for consideration in the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, and I ask that you vote against it. These facilities often present themselves as medical clinics but most are not licensed healthcare providers and do not offer comprehensive reproductive care. Their primary purpose is ideological rather than medical: to discourage individuals from accessing abortion services. In 2024, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a consumer alert specifically warning patients about these centers, highlighting concerns about their practices and the misleading information they may provide. The bill makes its ideological intent explicit by prohibiting any funds from going to healthcare providers that offer abortion services or even make referrals to doctors who provide abortions. This restriction ensures that only organizations aligned with a specific viewpoint receive taxpayer dollars, regardless of their medical qualifications or the quality of care they provide. Arizona taxpayers deserve to have their money directed toward licensed medical facilities that provide evidence-based, comprehensive healthcare. Pregnancy resource centers that lack medical licensing should not receive $3 million in state funding when those resources could support actual healthcare infrastructure, maternal health programs, or services that help families access prenatal care, childcare assistance, and economic support. The 2024 consumer alert from Attorney General Mayes underscores the problematic nature of these facilities. Directing millions in public funds to organizations that have prompted official warnings from the state's chief law enforcement officer is poor fiscal policy and potentially harmful to Arizonans seeking accurate medical information. I ask that you vote no on HB2229 in the House Appropriations Committee and work to ensure state healthcare dollars support licensed medical providers offering comprehensive, evidence-based care.