Sen. Maria Collett.
The Pennsylvania Senate and House passed a bill late Thursday night that will ask voters to amend the state constitution to declare that Pennsylvanians have no constitutional right to an abortion and no guarantee that taxpayer dollars can be used for abortions.
The bill — SB 106 — must pass the legislature in two consecutive sessions and be publicly advertised before it goes to voters. The amendment question could appear as early as next year on the ballot.
Other proposed amendments under SB 106 include:
Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) voted against the bill and called Republican legislators out for having a late-night committee meeting to include an abortion ban, by amendment, to the bill instead of voting to pass the delayed 2022-23 state budget.
“I’m incredibly disappointed that Pennsylvania Republicans continue to introduce legislation for constitutional amendments in attempt after attempt to circumvent the legislative process and turn a blind eye to the core purpose of a three-pronged government,” Collett said. “The constitutional amendment process is sacred and meant to be an exception, not the rule. But it has become clear that this is the only way for Republicans to get wildly unpopular initiatives passed.”
Collett said the only way to keep unpopular policies from being on future primary ballots is by creating a new majority in the General Assembly that will push the priorities of their constituents rather than their own.
SB 106 was passed two weeks after the Supreme Court decided abortion was not a constitutional right in the United States, allowing decisions about abortion rights to be determined by state legislators.
“It may seem like constitutional amendments would be the most democratic means of assessing the will of the people. Unfortunately, the reality is that voter participation in the amendment process is lower than in that of nearly all other elections because the majority continues to place amendments on the ballot in primary elections, which have lower turnout, particularly among Independent and third-party voters, young voters, and voters of color,” Collett said. “Republicans have contributed to this. Republicans know this. And now Republicans seek to take advantage of this in the most dangerous way.”
Collett, alongside state Senators Katie Muth (D- Montgomery/Chester/Berks), Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery/Delaware), Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), and Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester), introduced a bill in June that will codify Roe v. Wade protections into Pennsylvania law.
See also:
Pa. Senate Republicans Advance Late-Night Constitutional Amendment Package on Abortion, Voter ID
‘We Won’t Go Back’ March Scheduled for Friday in Towamencin
Mayoral Musings: Reaction to Roe vs Wade Being Overturned
