Haley Haskins

Reproductive health centers, such as Planned Parenthood, provide the full range of evidence-based, high-quality sexual and reproductive health care. These licensed providers are staffed by trained medical professionals and are committed to giving patients complete, medically accurate information so individuals can make informed decisions about their own health care. Their services include cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, prenatal referrals, and abortion care -- all delivered according to established medical standards and ethical guidelines. In contrast, the anti-abortion centers protected under HB 1416 are not regulated as medical facilities and are not required to provide medically accurate, comprehensive information. Many of these centers present themselves in ways that can be confusing or misleading to patients seeking time-sensitive medical care. Patients deserve transparency, honesty, and evidence-based information -- not incomplete or ideologically driven counseling that can delay care. Health care decisions are deeply personal. Patients must be able to trust that when they seek medical advice, they are receiving accurate information from qualified medical providers. HB 1416 would shield organizations that are not held to the same medical, ethical, and transparency standards as licensed reproductive health centers. That undermines patient autonomy and public trust. I respectfully ask you to stand in support of evidence-based health care, patient safety, and informed consent by voting against HB 1416.