On Monday, the state Capitol in Salem, Oregon, saw a packed room and a long line of people for a public hearing on a bill that would expand access to reproductive health and gender-affirming care. The hearing saw a range of emotional testimony that mirrored the ongoing culture war debates over abortion, gender identity, and parents’ rights that are playing out in state legislatures across the United States.
While Oregon remains one of the few states where abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy, the new bill aims to further expand access to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care. It includes provisions that would make it easier for minors to access certain services without parental consent, which has become a contentious issue for many.
Supporters of the bill argued that abortion and gender-affirming care are life-saving and necessary for people to have autonomy over their own bodies. They also believe that the bill is necessary to push back against the recent flurry of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ legislation moving through state legislatures across the country.
One of the most controversial provisions of the bill has to do with minors. If the legislation passes, doctors would be allowed to provide reproductive health care information and services, including abortion, to any person without regard to age and would bar them in certain cases from disclosing that to parents. Supporters say this provision is essential for protecting young people living in unsupportive families, while critics argue that it excludes parents from key aspects of their child’s health care.
The bill would also require private insurance to cover gender-affirming care that is prescribed as medically necessary. This is seen as especially critical for transgender people who often face significant barriers to accessing necessary care.
Lawmakers will continue to discuss the bill and propose amendments during a House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care work session next week. Despite the emotional testimony and contentious debate, the bill represents an important step forward in expanding access to reproductive health and gender-affirming care in Oregon.