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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 20, 2021 12:02 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Kristine C. Howard |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Reproductive Rights |
| Decisions regarding reproductive health are extremely personal and intimate. These can also be medically complex decisions, requiring the advice of a doctor as individuals work to determine what is best for themselves and their families. In the past, laws governing these decisions varied state-by-state, creating a patchwork where those in some states lacked rights afforded those in others. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of Roe v. Wade that abortion rights being left to the individual states was a violation of the right to privacy and equal protection under the law. For nearly fifty years, this precedent has provided Americans the reproductive freedoms we deserve. However, because Roe v. Wade was a U.S. Supreme Court decision rather than a law enacted by Congress, the rights it afforded remain at the mercy of the Supreme Court, which could overturn the decision at any time. As it stands, the protection of these freedoms are left to individual states. For this reason, I will be introducing legislation to codify Roe v. Wade’s protections into Pennsylvania law. Please join me in protecting reproductive freedoms. |
Introduced as HB733