In the wake of news that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy will retire, calls have been made for the General Assembly to reconvene in an emergency session to take up legislation that would codify abortion rights in Rhode Island law.
The Reproductive Health Care Act, which was introduced in the 2017 regular session by Rep. Edith Ajello and Sen. Gayle Goldin, both Democrats from Providence, has yet to make it to the floor.
Supporters of the emergency session say the state must prepare for the possibility that the high court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision is overturned. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) has in the past said he does not believe the state-level law is necessary, and he has indicated he does not plan to reconvene lawmakers to address the issue before next year.
