While we have been working hard to protect the right to abortion in Rhode Island and expand abortion access for low-income individuals and state employees, the anti-abortion folks have introduced SIX DIFFERENT BILLS being heard this Friday, April 9 at 2 pm that could impact – or even take away – access to abortion completely. We need to SHUT DOWN THESE BILLS!
H 5865 and H 5996
Based in total junk science, H 5865 would take away all access to abortion 8 weeks after fertilization and H 5996 recognizes a fetus as a human with full legal protections once there is a “heartbeat.” These bills effectively shut down almost all abortion care at a time when many people do not even know they are pregnant. And while a number of similar bills have been struck down by courts across the country, judicial challenges of clearly unconstitutional laws waste money and time.
TAKE ACTION:
1) You can sign up to testify to oppose these bills. You would need to sign-up for each bill here. They will contact you about how to virtually testify.
- DEADLINE: Sign up to testify no later than Thursday, April 8th at 4 pm
2) You can submit written testimony opposing these bills. Email testimony to:HouseJudiciary@rilegislature.
- Indicate your name, bill number, and viewpoint (against) at top of message
- DEADLINE: Submit testimony no later than 11 am Friday, April 9(three (3) hours prior to the posted meeting time).
3) You can send an email TODAY to the committee telling them to vote “no” on these harmful bills.
SAMPLE MESSAGE: Hello. My name is [ ]. I am urging the House Judiciary Committee to vote “NO” on H 5865 and H 5996. These bills could take away all access to abortion as early as 6-8 weeks. Many people do not even know that they are pregnant that soon and with the significant systemic barriers that women of color, low-income women, and young women face in getting access to health services, it is that much harder for people living on the margins to get into a clinic to confirm a pregnancy and talk through your options. That means attacks like this one fall hardest on people who are already struggling with health disparities. This bill is against the values of personal freedom that Rhode Islanders hold dear. It undermine access to an essential health service and denies bodily autonomy. Please, vote no and take a stand for personal decision making. Thank you.”
Send to: HouseJudiciary@rilegislature.
Seriously, just copy and paste these email addresses, copy and paste the sample message, add anything you’d like, and PUSH SEND TODAY!
H5552, H5579, H5037, H5582
The House Judiciary Committee will also be hearing four practically identical and equally troubling bills (H5552, H5579, H5037, H5582) that claim that doctors are withholding care from infants during birth. These bills spread false rhetoric around abortion. Instead of respecting every person’s decision, anti-abortion politicians are again resorting to false and inflammatory claims to distract from their true agenda — to push abortion care out of reach and punish patients and their providers.
TAKE ACTION:
1) Again, you can sign up to testify to oppose these bills. You would need to sign-up for each bill here. They will contact you about how to virtually testify.
- DEADLINE: Sign up to testify no later than Thursday, April 8th at 4 pm
2) You can submit written testimony opposing these bills. Email testimony to:HouseJudiciary@rilegislature.
- Indicate your name, bill number, and viewpoint (against) at top of message
- DEADLINE: Submit testimony no later than 11 am Friday, April 9(three (3) hours prior to the posted meeting time).
2) And PLEASE, send the email TODAY to the committee telling them to vote “no” on these harmful bills (emails above).
Sample Message: Hello. My name is [ ]. I am urging the House Judiciary Committee to vote “NO” on H5552, H5579, H5037, and H5582. Bills like these perpetuate myths and lies about abortion, the people who get an abortion, and the providers who care for them. The people advancing this bill are trying to push harmful lies to try to take away access to abortion. If we care about the lives or health of women and families in our state, there are so many policies that would truly help. But these kinds of attempts to take away access to health care or to denigrate health providers is not helping anyone. Please, vote no on these harmful and insulting bills.”
We must oppose these bills and call it what it is – another political game being played on the backs of women and families in our state – and we are NOT having it!
We will not be silent in the face of these attacks. Let’s do this!