Senate committee to vote on taxpayer abortion bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A bill that would expand abortion access for those on Medicaid, including state employees, will be voted on Tuesday.

The bill will be voted on by the nine-member Senate Judiciary Committee, where a tight vote is expected. 

Three of the senators on the committee voted in favor of codifying Roe v. Wade in 2019, while three others voted against that measure. 

Freshman Sen. Matthew LaMountain, a Democrat who represents Warwick, is expected to vote in favor of the bill. 

Sen. John Burke has not tipped his hand, but was endorsed by a pro-life organization in 2022. 

If those votes play out, that could leave the deciding vote in the hands of freshman senator and former North Providence Police Chief David Tikoian, who told ABC 6 News Friday night that he was reviewing testimony from constituents before coming to his decision.