Arizona governor Katie Hobbs has called for a repeal of the state’s abortion reporting law, claiming — inexplicably — that giving people as many facts and statistics about abortion as possible is an “attack on women.”
Hobbs statement came as the state’s Department of Health released its annual abortion report. The report gives a variety of data surrounding abortion in the state, including the number of abortions by mother’s age and race, methods of abortion used, gestational age of child, reported maternal reasons for abortion, and more. Absolutely no personal or identifying information is shared, and women do have the option to refuse to answer the questions.
“This report is an attack on our freedom, is unacceptable, and must be brought to an end,” Hobbs said in a statement, adding, “The government has no place in surveilling Arizonans’ medical decision-making or tracking their health history.”
This seems like a very odd statement to make, given that the Arizona Department of Health tracks many things, and even urges participation in the Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which asks minors questions about their sexual identities, as well as personal habits such as smoking, vaping, and weight loss methods. The website states, “Survey results are used by school districts, communities, organizations, policy makers, and government agencies, to understand and meet student needs, identify emerging health issues, and obtain funding for programs that support teen health.”
But when it comes to abortion — and abortion alone — Hobbs claims, “Starting a family is a sensitive and personal experience for a woman and her loved ones; there should be no room for government surveillance and publication of that decision. The existence of a government registry of pregnancies grossly infringes on our right to privacy. In Arizona, we trust women and doctors, and I will continue to fight to make sure our laws reflect that fact.”
It should be noted that there are no federal requirements to report abortions or abortion complications; therefore, it is up to states to collect and report data voluntarily. This data is, unfortunately, very much incomplete; this means that when women choose to seek abortions, they do not have (and cannot obtain) truly accurate information regarding its safety.
Cathi Herrod, president of the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy, noted that the reporting of abortion data is right in line with regular health department duties.
“They say abortion is health care,” Herrod told AZ Capitol Times. “Well, if abortion is health care, then is there not a valid reason to know what’s going on with the provision of that health care? The appropriate question is, why does Governor Hobbs not want Arizona lawmakers and the public to know what’s going on with abortion and how to help women?”
Herrod also explained how the reporting questions could be helpful to women in crisis; if an abortionist asks and discovers that a client is the victim of sexual assault or is being coerced, appropriate help could be offered.
Pro-life groups have historically argued that abortion reporting gives important information as to why women seek abortion. This understanding helps policymakers, legislators, and pro-life groups to offer more support to women who seek challenges during pregnancy, so they can give them better support that would help them choose life. These are notably the same reasons why a health department — like Arizona’s — surveys minors and reports the information while not personally identifying the survey participants. Like the Youth Risk Survey, abortion data does not display the names of individuals.
Though Hobbs wants to put an end to the report’s release, it’s up to lawmakers to change current legislation that requires the reporting.
Tell President Trump, RFK, Jr., Elon, and Vivek:
Stop killing America’s future. Defund Planned Parenthood NOW!
