A look at Lehigh Valley lawmakers and votes on abortion laws
Anticipated Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe puts states at forefront of abortion laws
The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down Roe v. Wade, putting abortion in the hands of the states.
Under current Pennsylvania law, a woman can obtain an abortion up to 24 weeks gestational age for any reason, except for gender selection. After 24 weeks, abortions can be performed only if the women’s health or life is in danger.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, supports a woman’s right to have an abortion and filed a brief in opposition to the Mississippi case that was part of the Supreme Court ruling. Republican candidate, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, would ban all abortions.
Ending abortion is a plank of many Republican candidates running for the state House and Senate, including those in the Lehigh Valley.
Over the years, the Republican-controlled Legislature has proposed or passed multiple bills only to see Gov. Tom Wolf veto the measures.
Democrats do not have the votes to blocks Republican measures from coming up for votes.
Here’s a look at some of those bills and where lawmakers in the Lehigh Valley stood on the measures when they came up for votes.
Senate Bill 152: Sponsored by Sens. Judy Ward, R-30, and Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-28, it would prohibit state funding to health care entities that perform abortion services. Referred to Health and Human Services Committee in February 2021 and removed from the table on April 12, 2022.
Senate Bill 956: Sponsored by Ward and others, the joint resolution proposed an amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania, providing that there is no right to abortion or funding for an abortion. Laid on the table April 12, 2022.
Senate Bill 378: Co-sponsored by Ward and Mastriano would require physicians, before proceeding with an abortion, to determine whether there is a heartbeat. If one is detected, an abortion cannot be performed. It was introduced in March 2021 and referred to the Health and Human Services Committee. No votes were taken on the measure.
House Bill 118: Would enable parents whose unborn children are lost to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or stillbirth the right to claim their child’s fetal remains for cremation or burial at their own expense. Passed the House 118-83 on June 9, 2021. Current Lehigh Valley House incumbents voting yes were Gary Day, R-187, Joe Emrick, R-187, Ann Flood, R-138, Milou Mackenzie, R-131, Ryan Mackenzie, R-134 and Zach Mako, R-183. Voting no were Bob Freeman, D-136, Jeanne McNeill, D-133, Steve Samuelson, D-135, Mike Schlossberg, D-132, and Peter Schweyer, D-22.
House Bill 321: In 2019, the House and Senate passed a bill that would prohibit abortions because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The measure passed the House 115-80. Voting yes were Day, Emrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Mako. Voting no were Freeman, McNeill, Samuelson, Schlossberg and Schweyer. It passed the Senate, 27-22 with Pat Browne, R-16, voting yes and Lisa Boscola, D-18, voting no. The measure was vetoed by Gov. Wolf. It was reintroduced in the House in 2021, with Day as a co-sponsor, and passed. The bill was sent to the Senate, where it was withdrawn from the table in April.
Senate Bill 857: Bill provided for telemedicine, authorizing the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards and providing for insurance coverage of telemedicine. An amendment barred the use of telemedicine to prescribe mifepristone, which is used to induce medical abortions. It passed the Senate on Oct. 30, 2019, with Browne and Boscola voting yes. It passed the House 111-77 on Nov. 11, 2021. Voting yes were Day, Emrick and Ryan Mackenzie. Voting no were Freeman, McNeill, Samuelson, Schlossberg and Schweyer. Wolf vetoed the measure.
Senate Bill 3: In 2017, the House and Senate passed a bill that would have prohibited abortions beyond 20 weeks of gestational age. The Feb. 8, 2017, Senate vote was 32-18 with Browne voting yes and Boscola voting no. In the House, the vote on Dec. 12, 2017, was 121- 70. Day, Emrick, Mackenzie and Mako voted yes, while Freeman, Samuelson, Schlossberg and Schweyer voted no. Wolf vetoed the measure.