Landmark Abortion Rights Bill Passes Both RI House and Senate - Raimondo Signs

Landmark Abortion Rights Bill Passes Both RI House and Senate - Raimondo Signs

The General Assembly passed landmark legislation — the Reproductive Privacy Act (H 5125B) by a vote of 21-17 in the Senate and a vote of 45-29 in the House of Representatives. The bill is now on its way to Governor Gina Raimondo to be signed into law. She strongly supports the legislation.

“This is a truly historical moment in Rhode Island. After decades of advocacy, conversation and compromise from activists, lawmakers and organizations, Rhode Island has proven that it values the reproductive rights of all its residents,” said RI Coalition for Reproductive Freedom in a statement Wednesday night.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

“This victory is about the health, rights and bodily autonomy of every Rhode Islander. It is about taking a stand. It is about saying we won’t go back to a time when people were denied access to safe, legal abortion and pushed into desperate and dangerous circumstances. It is about saying we will speak out and speak up for what we believe in and we know that when we leverage our collective strength we will make a real and positive difference,” said The Womxn Project.

“This win makes it clear that should all be able to live, work, and make decisions about our health and our future with dignity – not judgment or barriers.  We all deserve the peace of mind that we can obtain the health care we need – and that Aabsolutely includes having the right to seek safe, legal abortion care when we need to.” Jordan Hevenor, Co-Director of The Womxn Project.

Raimondo on Record

Raimondo said in a statement, "Today, I am pleased to sign that act into law. The legislation before me is the product of an important and vigorous debate and a great deal of public scrutiny. It codifies what has been the status quo under Roe v. Wade for nearly five decades. It protects a woman's access to reproductive health care here in Rhode Island at a time when that access is under threat at the federal level and in states across our country. And, it keeps the most personal and difficult decisions of a woman's life between her and her doctor - where they are today, and where they belong, regardless of continued assaults on the fundamental right to privacy." 

“My advocacy for reproductive rights is grounded in my own experience as a woman, as an adoptive parent and as a religious minority. Judaism recognizes that denying a woman full access to the complete spectrum of reproductive health care, including contraception and abortions, deprives women of their constitutional right to religious freedom. The Reproductive Privacy Act is not only about a constitutional right to privacy, it is also the right to practice my religion without interference from the government," said East Side State Senator Gayle Goldin (District 3).

“For us, this is not about politics: it's about our health and our ability to control our own futures. We believe that people should be able to get an abortion without barriers or judgment.  Protecting abortion access means we control our own futures. It's time to pass a bill that ensures in Rhode Island that we protect the right to abortion and to continue to strive to close gaps in access to affordable care.” Jocelyn Foye, Co-Director.

UPDATED: 10:01 PM

This story was first published 6/19/19 9:03 PM