Abortion bill passes House, despite concern over ‘legal status’ of fetus

After a bitter fight lasting months and four hours of debate on the House floor Thursday, a Rhode Island version of the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion case passed the full House.

There’s still a little ways to go before the Reproductive Privacy Act becomes law, as it still needs to pass the Senate before it heads to Governor Raimondo’s desk.

Opponents for the bill have been saying that it codifies the Supreme Court decision, as they believe it could be under fire in Washington, but opponents say it actually expands the decision and takes away the legal status of an unborn child.

The controversial bill squeaked out of the House Judiciary Committee in a 9-7 vote Tuesday, and went to the full House where it passed with a 44-30 vote.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Anastasia Williams, who called it a victory for women in Rhode Island.

“Protect the women and girls in the State of Rhode Island before Washington comes down and does something crazy,” Williams said just minutes after the vote on Thursday night.

Williams’ bill would prohibit the state and federal government from preventing a woman from having an abortion.

It would also allow for a late-term abortion on a viable fetus if the mother was in danger of losing her life. The bill describes a viable fetus as one that a doctor believes has a high likelihood of survival.

The bill also solidifies the federal ban on partial-birth abortion.

House Minority Leader Blake Filippi voted down the bill in the house, saying that it’s an issue that extends beyond Roe v. Wade.

“We should not be de-valuing a third-trimester viable fetus to the point where it doesn’t have any legal status,” Filippi said.

Rep. Filippi is referring to the quick child statute which protects an unborn child if the mother is hurt and the baby is killed. The statute lets prosecutors charge a third party with killing the baby.

The House’s top Republican said if the bill becomes law, this statute is gone.

“We’re repealing a criminal statute in this bill so I think it’s completely acceptable instead of repeal the criminal act, reform the criminal act,” Filippi said, as he proposed an amendment to the bill which would include the quick child statute.

That amendment was shot down along with a handful of other amendments pitched by Republicans.

Attorney General Peter Neronha sent a letter to lawmakers assuring them that his office has the tools to prosecute someone who commits an act like that.

But Republicans at the hearing were not comfortable with the promise, saying the AG should have every tool available when it comes to charging someone with murder.