The proposal, introduced by the Republican-led upper house, states that there is no constitutional right to taxpayer-funded abortions or any right to abortion in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The amendment was added to a bill that included several constitutional amendments, including those that would have required Pennsylvania residents to show legal identification in order 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 be enacted. Amendments to the constitution in Pennsylvania are approved after being proposed in the state House or Senate and then approved by a majority in each chamber during two elected 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 once again after the election. Then, to finalize the outcome of the amendment, it would go to the ballot of Pennsylvanians for a vote. Pennsylvania Sen. John Costa (D) said the Republican bill was “designed to prevent abortion in this Commonwealth.” He tweeted that “the governor is elected statewide to have the final say on issues that affect citizens across the state” and claimed the proposal was a political solution. But the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Judy Ward of Blair County, said the measure would simply give the legislature the ability to define abortion law for itself, according to the Associated Press. “Our abortion control law will remain in place,” Ward said. “And this constitutional amendment will simply go to the people and allow us in the Legislature the ability to set these rules and laws regarding abortion in this commonwealth,” Ward added, according to the AP. Biden administration sends $400 million in security aid to Ukraine House Democrats as abortion rights bills pass Costa countered Ward’s defense of the bill, tweeting: “If this is the truth – and this has nothing to do with the audacious restriction of the right to bodily autonomy – it should be done through the regular legislative process.” The issue in Pennsylvania comes after the Supreme Court recently overturned Roe v. Wade, which found that an individual’s right to an abortion was constitutional. It also comes ahead of a tight midterm election in November for the state’s governor and an open seat to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.
