LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A long anticipated and controversial abortion protection bill was introduced into committee for the first time Monday drawing heavy support and criticism from backers and opponents.
The bill would codify abortion protections for patients seeking care from outside of the state initially protected in an executive order issued by then Governor Steve Sisolak in the days following the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe V. Wade.
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Senator Nicole Cannizzaro, (D) District 6, the Democrat's main backer of the bill, spoke in favor of it while bringing it to the committee floor.
"Patients who are coming to Nevada and our healthcare providers operating here can't rely on an executive order," Cannizzaro said. "They cannot rely on something that could tomorrow, or this afternoon frankly, could be gone."
Anti-abortion advocates immediately bucked back against the proposal claiming it would open a dangerous door in the law.
Janine Hansen, Nevada Families for Freedom State President, believed that the bill's restriction on sharing reproductive care information with other states could limit other investigations.
"What does that do? It puts girls at risk be predators, by sex traffickers because when they come over the border to get an abortion nobody asks any questions," Hansen said. "If the predator wants to get rid of all the evidence of his crimes, all he has to do is force the girl to have an abortion."
Hansen said she had no evidence sex offenders were exploiting the law as it stands under Sisolak's executive order, but she said the risk was real.
"We're promoting predators and sex traffickers in our state," she said, "and is that how we want to be known? That we are the destination location for killing the unborn and having abortions available for everyone?"
In a statement, Cannizzaro dismissed the concerns as conspiracy theories from anti-abortion activists.
"Nothing in Senate Bill 131 weakens sex trafficking or other sex crime laws or prevents Nevada law enforcement from working with other states to prosecute conduct that is already criminally illegal in Nevada. Groups and individuals that oppose reproductive rights are ginning up completely unfounded conspiracy theories about Senate Bill 131 because there is nothing real in the bill for them to attack. Nevadans overwhelmingly support the right to choose when or whether to be pregnant, and Senate Bill 131 simply strengthens that right."
Cannizzaro's argument was supported by Planned Parenthood Votes Executive Director Lindsey Harmon.
"That is a red herring," Harmon said. "That is a distraction from what this bill does. This bill has nothing to do with sex trafficking."
Harmon said while the sex trafficking fears have been drummed up, the harms currently facing patients seeking care in Nevada from out of state are very real.
"We are currently seeing an increase in patients coming from out of state," she said, "and we know that is only going to get exponentially worse as bordering states seek to enact bans."
In a statement, Governor Joe Lombardo's office indicated he may sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk.
“Governor Lombardo has encouraged the Legislature to send a clean bill codifying the previous executive order to his desk, and he looks forward to reviewing the proposed legislation,” said Lombardo spokesperson Elizabeth Ray.
