Prop 5 vote in November won’t be the end of abortion rights legislation
by Guy Page
Whether or not voters in November approve Proposal 5/Article 22, enshrining abortion as a constitutional right, the next Vermont Legislature will likely continue to be a battleground for abortion rights legislation.
The likely Democratic challenger to Gov. Phil Scott and two Chittenden County lawmakers yesterday proposed an aggressive slate of pro-abortion legislation, including using state funds to pay for abortions for “refugees” coming to Vermont from states where abortion is now illegal.
In a campaign statement released today, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Brenda Siegel, Chittenden Central Senate candidate and Essex Rep. Tanya Vyhovsky, and Burlington Rep. Barbara Rachelson – all Progressive Democrats – yesterday agreed to push for additional laws to:
- Make Vermont a safe haven for all who are here and all who come here to seek abortion for any reason.
- Change Vermont’s extradition laws in order to protect doctors, anyone who supports someone accessing abortion.
- Increase state funding to pay for out-of-staters’ abortions so they won’t have to use their own insurance coverage.
- Change Vermont’s fair and impartial policing policy to include Vermont law enforcement not cooperating with out of state investigations into reproductive health care.
- Codify access to contraception through an equal rights amendment to our Vermont constitution, guaranteeing marriage equality and LGBTQIA rights as well.
- Plan and prepare for intrastate refugees to Vermont.
- Fight a federal ban on any of these issues, including working with other like-minded states.
- Pass mandatory paid family and medical leave to support those who do carry a pregnancy to term.
“I can not help but feel immense grief not having protected our children from this moment and we owe it to them to do everything we absolutely can to return their liberty,” Siegel said.