McKee promises abortion measure

Gov. Dan McKee on Monday said he'll try to protect abortion providers who serve out-of-state patients through an executive order and is asking lawmakers to allow public health insurance to cover abortion.

General Assembly leaders, however, are noncommittal or opposed to passing a law this year that would let Rhode Island's Medicaid program and state employee health insurance cover abortion.

"It is something I have said we will take a look at when we come back in January, but I have no intention of dealing with that issue at this point in time," Senate President Dominick Ruggerio said during a signing ceremony for the $13.6-billion state budget Monday.

"I would not consider that this year, no. I just think we have other things that we are dealing with," he said. "We have an election that we have to go through. We did not intend to come back. So I do not see a reason to come back at this point in time."

Abortion-rights advocates demonstrated outside the room in the State House where the budget signing took place, calling for officials to "stop abortion bans" and pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act to allow Medicaid coverage of abortions.

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the debate over abortion policy has ratcheted up across the country and progressive candidates at Sunday's state Democratic Party Convention called on the party not to endorse any candidate who did not vote to enshrine the right to an abortion in state law, a list that includes Ruggerio.

McKee on Monday said he would sign a bill adding abortion coverage to Medicaid if lawmakers pass one and pointed to testimony he sent lawmakers in support of it.

McKee's Democratic primary rivals have criticized him for not proposing a Equality in Abortion Coverage Act budget amendment and threatening not to sign the budget if it was not added.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi did vote to codify Roe v. Wade in state law three years ago, but did not put Medicaid coverage for abortion in the just-signed budget.

On Sunday night, Shekarchi appeared to open the door slightly to returning for a vote on the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act to a group of abortion-rights advocates outside the state party convention, according to video posted by UpriseRI.

But he declined to open it any further on Monday.

"The four members of my leadership team proudly supported the Reproductive Privacy Act in 2019 to ensure that women of Rhode Island continue to be able to make the personal decision to access safe and legal abortion," Shekarchi said in an email. "At the Democratic convention last night, I met with several advocates who are in favor of utilizing Medicaid funding for abortion. My door is always open to discuss this issue with them, and I will also talk with my House colleagues. A two-thirds majority is needed in both chambers to ensure passage."

McKee said the executive order he'll sign "shortly" would be similar to the one Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued last week, which blocks state agencies from assisting other states investigating abortion providers.

While abortion-activists chanted outside, McKee signed the $13.6-billion state budget to celebrations from top lawmakers.

"This is a great budget," Shekarchi said. "We had $12 billion in asks [for American Rescue Plan funds]. We considered them, and I think this is a good product here."

Ruggerio: "I know a lot of people are out there saying we should raise taxes. We don't like to raise taxes. We like to cut taxes, and that is what we have done."

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