R.I. lawmakers seek to strengthen state’s abortion stance

Feb. 01--PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- For many years, there has been an unspoken understanding about the fate of abortion bills at the Rhode Island State House: they go nowhere.

But Rhode Island lawmakers, fearful that President Trump's nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court will eventually reverse the landmark 1973 abortion-rights ruling known as Roe V. Wade, plan to introduce legislation on Wednesday to not only guarantee the continued legal right to an abortion here, but assert the state's right to decide this divisive issue for itself.

Anticipating that a reversal will then throw the decision on the legality of abortions back to the states, state Sen. Gayle Goldin, D-Providence, said Tuesday that action this year by the Rhode Island General Assembly is "critically important" to preserve "a decades-long right in this country."

"I think the situation is significantly more urgent than it has been," echoed state Rep. Edith Ajello, D-Providence.

Titled the "Reproductive Health Care Act," the bill that Ajello is re-introducing -- with 34 co-sponsors in the 75-member House -- says:

"Neither the state, nor any of its agencies, or political subdivisions shall: Interfere with a woman's decision to prevent, commence, continue, or terminate a pregnancy provided the decision is made prior to fetal viability; Restrict the use of medically recognized methods of contraception or abortion; or Restrict the manner in which medically recognized methods of contraception or abortion are provided."

The term "fetal viability" is defined to mean: "that stage of gestation where the attending physician, taking into account the particular facts of the case, has determined that there is a reasonable likelihood of the fetus' sustained survival outside of the womb."

But the Rhode Island Right to Life group gave its backing last year to the reelection of the top Democrats in the House (Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, then-Majority Leader John DeSimone, and Majority Whip Jay Edwards) and the Senate (President Teresa Paiva Weed, Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio, and Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin).

Then-House Minority Leader Brian Newberry and Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere, were also on the Right-to-Life endorsement list.

"Despite the fact that many Rhode Islanders support reproductive health care rights -- including the right to abortion -- far too many of our elected officials remain anti-women's rights. We must continue to fight so all people in Rhode Island have the right to make their own personal medical decisions about pregnancy, without political interference," Craig O'Connor, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood Votes! RI, said Tuesday.

He cited a 2014 poll commissioned by Planned Parenthood that indicated: 52 percent of Rhode Islanders favor the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

More recently, the Rhode Island Democratic Party Platform added a woman's-right-to-choose to its platform.

A reflection of the national Democratic Party platform, the new state party platform, approved unanimously on October 13, 2016, says, in part: "Democrats stand behind the right of every woman to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, regardless of ability to pay, and we support a national law to protect that right. A woman's right to choose is a fundamental liberty.

"We do solemnly pledge to support and foster contraceptive research, family planning and policies that support healthy child bearing and strong parenting skills. These policies will make abortion less necessary, not more difficult and dangerous."

In an earlier Op-Ed that appears in The Journal, Rep. Joseph McNamara -- the state Democratic Party Chairman -- listed "reproductive rights" among the "proud and successful initiatives of a strong and dedicated party of the people."

It remains unclear if any of these developments will influence House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, who are both Catholics.

While legislative leaders have been reluctant to reopen the abortion debate here, Goldin said perceptions of Trump may change that: "I think many people are concerned about this particular president's broad based attacks on basic rights."

"In the past week, we have seen the President show little regard to women, immigrants, and refugees. He has used his pen to further marginalize people, including stripping away access to reproductive rights around the world," said Goldin.

"Despite the grim national picture I am optimistic for Rhode Island. With a total of 35 signatures on the bill, a majority of RI House Democrats support this legislation. Momentum is on our side," Ajello added. "Together, we can protect reproductive rights from attacks at the federal level. We must never go back on access to safe, legal abortion."

When asked, however, where the House Speaker currently stands, Mattiello spokesman Larry Berman reiterated his stock answer: "It is premature for Speaker Mattiello to comment. As always, the bill will go through the committee process." (There was no immediate response from Paiva Weed.)

Barth Bracy, executive director of Rhode Island Right-to-Life, added in an emailed statement:

"At a time when the overwhelming majority of Americans support restrictions on the abortion license, Planned Parenthood and its political allies in the General Assembly are doubling-down on an extreme agenda. During the past two months, both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Select Investigative Panel of the House Energy & Commerce Committee have recommended criminal investigations into Planned Parenthood for allegedly trafficking in fetal body parts from abortions for profit. If the nation's largest abortion chain is so egregiously violating existing laws and regulations, it is not clear how less regulation of the abortion industry will improve the safety and well-being of women in Rhode Island."

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