Oregon ‘Gender-Affirming,’ Abortion Access Bill Advances to State Senate

On Monday, Oregon lawmakers passed a sweeping package of legislation aimed at protecting abortion access and “gender-affirming” care for transgender individuals.

In a party-line vote, the bill passed the Oregon House, according to The Hill, signaling a sharp contrast to laws passed in Republican-led states.

The legislation offers protection to both abortion providers and patients from legal challenges, a move that is particularly relevant as Republican states have been attempting to prosecute out-of-state abortion providers and those who travel across state lines to receive an abortion. The bill also expands insurance coverage for gender-affirming care.

Notably, the bill faced opposition from Republicans in the state, who tried to delay the vote and send it back to committee. They argued that the comprehensive nature of the legislation made it difficult for lawmakers to fully debate and understand its implications. However, after a six-hour floor debate in the House chamber on Monday night, their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, and the bill advanced.

Nonetheless, Republicans have raised concerns that the bill was only given one public hearing in the process, and thus, they were unable to debate the legislation thoroughly. If the bill passes the Senate, which could happen later this week, Oregon will join a handful of other states that have taken steps to protecting abortion access and transgender individuals’ access to healthcare.