Jason Anderson
Overland Park, KS
913-735-7082

Re: HB 2749, Requiring medical care facilities and providers report the reasons for each abortion performed at such facility or by such provider to the secretary of health and environment.

Position: Opposition Testimony
Date of Hearing: February 14, 2024

To the Honorable Members of the House Committee on Health and Human Services,

I write to express my strong opposition to House Bill No. 2749, which proposes to significantly increase reporting requirements on abortion services. This bill, under the guise of data collection, infringes upon women's right to choose and privacy, mandates the sharing of highly personal motivations with the state, raises serious concerns about the security of sensitive information, and ultimately creates additional barriers to accessing necessary medical care.

Firstly, the right to choose is a fundamental aspect of women's rights and healthcare. By requiring detailed reporting on the reasons for abortion, HB 2749 not only violates patient confidentiality but also subjects women's personal decisions to governmental oversight. This overreach into personal health decisions is a clear violation of privacy and autonomy.

Moreover, the requirement to share motivational information with the Secretary of State is alarming. Such measures serve no medical purpose and only seek to intimidate those seeking care and potentially dissuade healthcare providers from offering these services due to the bureaucratic burden and the risk of violating patient trust.

The bill's approach to data collection raises significant information security concerns. The handling and storage of such sensitive information by the state increases the risk of breaches, which could have devastating consequences for individuals' privacy and safety.

It is evident that an intended consequence of this legislation is to introduce unnecessary friction into the process of receiving abortion medical care. This is not only an undue burden on women seeking these services but also a deliberate attempt to undermine access to medical care.

In conclusion, HB 2749 is a flawed proposal that threatens women's rights, privacy, and access to healthcare. I urge you to consider the detrimental impacts of this bill and reject it in favor of protecting the rights and well-being of all individuals seeking medical care.

Sincerely,
Jason Anderson