As the Utah Supreme Court deals with questions over the constitutionality of the state’s abortion trigger law, a lawmaker is proposing changes to a bill passed last year on abortion clinic licensing requirements.
Utah House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, has introduced HB560 , which would repeal the requirement that abortions be performed in clinics with the same standards of care as hospitals.
The bill might seem strange coming from a self-described pro-life lawmaker, but Lisonbee said the aim of the bill is to simplify the issues related to abortion before the court, with the hope that it would speed up clearance of the state’s trigger law.
“I will always stand on the side of life,” Lisonbee said, adding that throughout her years in the Utah Legislature, she’s supported efforts to require fathers of babies to pay child support during pregnancy and tax credits for women who need extra fertility services.
This latest bill, she said, is a continuation of that effort.