Extreme anti-abortion legislators in Pennsylvania push forward harmful bills
For Immediate Release: May 25, 2021 (Updated: May 25, 2021, 11 a.m.)
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania — Today, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates (PPPA) joined the Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) press conference immediately after three anti-abortion bills were voted out of the House Health Committee.
All three introduced bills, a 6-week ban (HB 904), a fetal remains bill (SB 21), and a Down syndrome ban (HB 118), are extreme anti-abortion legislation that would severely restrict abortion access in the state of Pennsylvania.
“Extreme legislation such as these bills are misinformed at best and cruel at worst," said Kelsey Leigh (previously Kelsey Williams), PPPA storyteller, at the WHC press conference. “These bills would have stripped me of my privacy in my darkest, most grief-filled moments. It would have deprived me of my ability to act as a parent, a mother, and to make the best decisions I could for me and my son.”
These abortion access attacks in Pennsylvania are attacks that we are seeing across the country, as anti-abortion politicians continue pushing legislation that would diminish Roe v. Wade. Just last week, the Supreme Court announced it would review its first abortion case since Justice Amy Coney Barret joined the court.
“The facts are simple: Anti-abortion politicians are exploiting their power, and we refuse to back down,” said Signe Espinoza, PPPA Interim Executive Director. “We will keep fighting for everyone’s access to sexual and reproductive health care, and right now we are focused on fighting these 3 anti-abortion bills in the Pennsylvania legislature.”
Gov. Tom Wolf has committed to vetoing any bill restricting abortion access has vetoed the Down syndrome ban in previous years.
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ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD PENNSYLVANIA ADVOCATES
Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates (PPPA) exists to create a Pennsylvania where sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion, is accessible, affordable, and affirming for all. We achieve this, in partnership with the 3 Planned Parenthood affiliates in Pennsylvania, through electoral and advocacy campaigns, lobbying, and organizing.