Politics & Government
Senate Committee To Vote On Abortion Rights Bill Tuesday
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on the controversial bill on Tuesday evening.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on a controversial reproductive rights bill this week. The "Reproductive Privacy Act" codifies the reproductive rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade into Rhode Island law. A companion bill was approved by the House of Representatives in early March.
The Senate version of the bill is sponsored by Senator Gayle L. Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence).
"Numerous unconstitutional laws concerning women’s reproductive rights have not only remained on our books since Roe v. Wade 46 years ago, but new ones have been added. Yet Rhode Islanders overwhelmingly support reproductive rights. Women deserve better. Rhode Island must affirm, once and for all, that a women’s right to make decisions about her own body is protected in our state, before the federal government stops doing that job for us," Sen. Goldin said when the bill was first introduced in January.
Find out what's happening in Cranstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The bill is identical to its House counterpart, which was approved with a vote of 44 to 30 on March 7 after more than five hours of debate. The legislation repeals four laws concerning abortion currently on the book in Rhode Island, including the requirement that the spouse of a married woman be notified before the abortion is performed, as well as broadens or redefines language in other current laws.
Women's rights groups including The Womxn Project and Planned Parenthood praised the House passage, while anti-abortion activists, including Diocese of Providence bishop Thomas Tobin, have voiced loud opposition.
Find out what's happening in Cranstonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Let’s make Rhode Island a sanctuary state - for unborn children. Let’s provide a safe shelter for them. No to abortion, especially late term abortion! It’s clearly what the people of this state expect," Tobin wrote on Twitter on May 8.
This is the moment we have been waiting for -- the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled the RHCA for a vote this coming Tuesday! We need you to join us at the State House to show your support for SB 152: The Reproductive Health Care Act. RSVP: https://t.co/7GZyBrUdmd! pic.twitter.com/zjNpJnRz8r
— PlannedParenthoodVotes!RI (@ppvotesri) May 10, 2019
Planned Parenthood, meanwhile, is calling for supporters to gather at the State House to show their support ahead of the committee vote.
If approved by the committee on Tuesday, the bill will be sent to the full Senate for consideration.
READ MORE:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
