[Senate Bill 732: PA General Assembly Short Title—An Act amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act, further providing for definitions, for licensure, for application for license and for issuance of license; and making an inconsistent repeal.]

October 25, 2011

Dear Friend-

Information was sent to you concerning Senate Bill 732, and my involvement, that was erroneous in fact and substance. You e-mailed or called me in response to this information. Please allow me to respond.

Senate Bill 732 was amended and sent to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in late June 2011. It is not currently in the Senate. If it comes back to the Senate, I will vote against it.

This legislation was originally introduced as a pro-choice bill by pro-choice Republican Senator Pat Vance. The goal of the legislation was to increase health standards for abortion clinics without forcing any clinic to shut down. In fact, the purpose of the legislation was a pro-active attempt to prevent a strong pro-life bill based on the horrible situation that occurred in Philadelphia.

I was asked to co-sponsor the legislation at the request of several pro-choice Republicans and some pro-choice Democrats. It was supported and voted for by several pro-choice, female Republican and Democratic senators including Sen. Lisa Baker, Sen. Jane Earll, Sen. Pat Vance and Sen. Lisa Boscola.

The pro-life community amended this legislation and I voted against that amendment. However, the vote passed despite my and other senators’ objections, and it went to the House of Representatives last June.

I recently met with the southeast delegation of Planned Parenthood along with Chester County pro-choice supporters to discuss strategies for returning the bill back to its original version to meet its original intent when the bill returns to the Senate for concurrence. My biggest fear and that of Planned Parenthood’s is that the House’s version will be even worse, shutting down all facilities except possibly one.

The distribution of this erroneous announcement was most troubling and unfortunate. I repeat that there is no bill in the Senate, and I am working with Planned Parenthood to defeat the bill if it comes back to the Senate for concurrence. I have been pro-choice all my life, and I can assure you I am not about to change.

If you have any questions on my stance and my vote, please call me in West Chester or Harrisburg or call my legislative director, Martin Indars, or my communications director, Adam Cirucci at 610-692-2112.

Respectfully,

Andy Dinniman
State Senator – 19th District