The Pennsylvania state Senate introduced a proposal Thursday that would amend the state constitution to include clear language stating that there is no constitutional right to abortion.
The proposal, introduced by the Republican-led upper house, states that there is no constitutional right to taxpayer-funded abortion, or any right to abortion in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The amendment was added to a bill that included many constitutional amendments, including requiring Pennsylvania residents to show legal identification to vote in state elections.
The Pennsylvania state constitution does not give the governor the power to veto constitutional amendments, nor do constitutional amendments require the governor’s support to pass.
Amendments to the Pennsylvania constitution are passed after being proposed in the state House or Senate and then approved by a majority in each house during two election sessions.
The amendment must also be posted for Pennsylvanians to see at least three months before the next election and then approved by a majority in the state House and Senate after the election.
Then, to finalize the outcome of the amendment, it will go on the ballot for Pennsylvanians to vote.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Costa (D) said the Republican bill was “designed to prevent abortion in this community.” He tweeted that “the governor is elected statewide to have the final say on matters that affect citizens throughout the state,” and claimed the proposal was a political decision.
But the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Judy Ward of Blair County, said the measure would simply give the Legislature the ability to set abortion law on its own, according to the Associated Press.
“Our Abortion Control Act will still remain in place,” Ward said.
“And this constitutional amendment will simply go to the people and allow us in the Legislature to be able to set these rules and laws regarding abortion in this community,” Ward added, according to the AP.
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Costa rejected this defense of the bill by Ward, writing on Twitter: “If this is the truth – and it really has nothing to do with the audacious limitation of the right to bodily autonomy – it should be done through the regular legislative process.”
The issue in Pennsylvania comes after the Supreme Court’s recent rejection of Roe v. Wade, which found that an individual’s right to an abortion is constitutional.
It also comes ahead of close midterm elections this November for the state’s governor and an open seat for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate representative.
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