PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 13, 2019
Salt Lake City, UT – Today, the Utah Senate passed Representative Cheryl Acton’s bill, HB 136, Abortion Amendments. This bill unconstitutionally limits a woman’s right to choose after 18 weeks. Lauren Simpson, policy director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“This bill is unconstitutional and Utahns can now expect to see their tax dollars burned up in litigation to the tune of two to three million dollars. This expensive bill won’t reduce Utah’s already low abortion rate. Instead of investing in things that actually reduce abortion, it will be wasted on a fruitless legal challenge, where it will be struck down in court.
“The energy and money spent defending this bill would be better spent doing things that would actually reduce abortions and miscarriages in Utah: putting an end to abstinence-only sex ed, fully expanding Medicaid to cover all low-income women and families, subsidizing contraceptives like IUDs, improving air quality, or implementing paid parental leave and affordable childcare.
“If the Legislature wants a pro-life policy, this bill isn’t it.”
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Alliance for a Better Utah is a good government advocacy and watchdog organization based in Salt Lake City. The organization works to improve the lives of all Utahns by ensuring balance, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.