Kennedy retirement sets up R.I. abortion-rights showdown
Since the election of President
Their bills never got to the floor in 2017. They didn't get to the floor this year, either. But Ajello and Goldin both said they "absolutely" plan, if reelected, to reintroduce the Reproductive Health Care Act in 2019.
Earlier this year, House Speaker
The news prompted an immediate call from state Rep.
On Thursday, Lt. Governor
Even before Kennedy's announcement, 2018 had been shaping up as a critical year for the abortion debate. On Monday,
"This is the most critical election cycle in decades," his post read. "What happens on
And on Thursday, Catholic Bishop
To date, the
In 2017, Ajello said, when she first introduced her legislation on abortion rights, 36 colleagues signed on to support the bill.
But within a few weeks, 10 cosponsors asked to have their names taken off the bill, Ajello said. They told her that some of their Catholic constituents had received handouts at Sunday Mass, printed with photos and contact information for bill sponsors, urging them to mobilize against the legislation.
Ajello said eight of the 10 members who wanted their names off the bill said they would vote for it if it went to the floor, but they didn't want to be sponsors anymore.
At this point, "it's important for people who care deeply about this issue ... to ensure that the people who represent them feel the same way," Goldin said Wednesday. When politicians come knocking on doors, voters should ask them where they stand, she added.
Goldin said the leadership of the
This will require more legislators who are "trusting and standing with women," because if Roe is overturned, "it would put our state into political chaos," Goldin said.
Given the state's history of passing anti-abortion laws, the outlook in
If Roe were overturned, abortion law would "go back to the
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On Twitter: @christinemdunn
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