Section Highlights

Abortion And Family Planning

Section Highlights:

• Laxalt described his position on abortion as “pro-life,” and said it is an “extremist position” to say that abortion should always be legally available. 
  
   
• In 2018, Laxalt signed on to a letter supporting a new set of regulations that aims to protect health workers who don’t want to perform abortions.
  
   
• In 2018, Laxalt said “we are going to look into” attempting to overturn Question 7 in Nevada, which barred changes to Nevada’s abortions laws without voter approval.
  
   
• In 2018, Laxalt signed on to an amicus brief in defense of Texas’ ban on the common “dilation and evacuation” second-trimester abortion procedure. Laxalt failed to consult pro-choice Governor Sandoval before joining the state on to the suit. 
  
   
• In 2018, Laxalt signed onto an amicus brief in support of anti-choice challenges to California’s regulation of crisis pregnancy centers.
  
   
• In 2015, following the release of heavily edited videos that suggested Planned Parenthood sold fetal tissue, Laxalt wrote a letter to Planned Parenthood which opened up an investigation into possible fetal tissue sales. Laxalt closed the investigation a few months after Planned Parenthood’s Las Vegas clinics confirmed their facilities did not perform abortions or donate fetal tissue.
  
   
• In 2017, Laxalt announced his office had “allocated” $1.2 million to the University of Nevada Medical School for an OB/GYN program. In actuality, the funding had not yet been approved, and by state law, Laxalt could not appropriate such funding. According to Reno News & Review, “Some state legislators were upset by Laxalt’s announcement because they feel it puts them in a difficult position if they have to approve or disapprove funding he has already promised.”