Oregon Republicans are calling it ” in [the] nation’s history.” House Bill 2002 was passed in the Joint Ways and Means Committee Thursday.
Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend, explained the main goals of the measure.
“What we’re saying in this bill is we are going to protect our patients and we’re going to protect our providers,” said Kropf.
While Kropf told us this is “probably the most vetted bill that [he] has seen in [his] time as a legislator,” Republicans would disagree.
“This bill only went through one chamber of the legislature,” said Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend. “We have a bicameral legislature for a reason: to make sure bills are well done. And what happened last night was even government attorneys could not answer some of the questions in regard to this bill.”
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What exactly does it change about abortion services in Oregon?
“It will allow 10-year-old girls to obtain an abortion without parental knowledge,” said House Minority Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville.
Rep. Kropf explained HB 2002 does not change the fact that doctors are mandatory reporters and does not adjust any age standards.
“This bill doesn’t change the age requirements for accessing reproductive health care,” Kropf said. “It simply codifies the practice that currently exists in Oregon.”
Republicans have another issue with this bill, aside from abortion: gender-affirming care provided to minors who identify as transgender.
“It was just very unclear what type of treatment that would involve,” Knopp said. “Would it involve changing the child physically.”
Democrats responded with repeating that this measure protects and expands current Oregon law.
“All this bill changes is somebody in consultation with their doctor is to receive gender affirming medically necessary gender-affirming care, if you have health insurance, it’s going to help cover the cost of that,” said Kropf.
The bill will be presented on the House floor May 1.
While the bill will go through the House, it was passed through the Joint ways and Means Committee first. This means the Senate will be able to vote on it, but the Senate policy process will be skipped.
