The House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee Thursday passed House Bill 576, which would allow nurses to perform abortions.

The measure would allow advanced practice registered nurses to terminate a pregnancy by medication or aspiration — a medical procedure that uses suction for an abortion.

The bill was amended to take effect immediately if it becomes law. It will go to the full House for further consideration.

Hawaii legalized abortions in the 1970s. Even so, there is limited access to abortions in several areas of the state, where residents have to travel for the procedure, according to the bill.

HB 576 also clarified that nurses must have prescriptive authority, specialize in that medical practice and have a valid unencumbered license.

If passed, Hawaii will join 12 other states that already allow nurses to perform abortions.

Rep. Linda Ichiyama (D, Salt Lake-Moanalua Valley) is the author of the measure.

There were 202 pages of written testimony with a majority in support and about 33 in opposition.

Hawaii Life Alliance opposed the bill, citing concerns about abortions being performed by nurses. Others echoed its testimony.

“Expanding the number of people who can provide abortion will increase the number of unborn children being killed,” the Hawaii Life Alliance said in its testimony. “We strongly urge you to prevent this from happening by making it clear that it is not within the scope or independence of practice of lower health care professional to provide abortion.”

A six-year study by the University of California, San Francisco found that first trimester abortions performed by nurses had safe outcomes.

Planned Parenthood, testifying in support, said that people on Maui have access to an abortion provider twice each month and the provider must fly in from another island. Hawaii Island has only one provider in Hilo.

“Being forced to travel, particularly by air or by ferry, to reach care can be an insurmountable barrier for people who already face systemic barriers to care, especially survivors of intimate partner violence, people of color, people with low incomes, people who live in rural communities and young people,” Planned Parenthood said in its testimony.