More than a dozen groups call on Governor McKee to act for abortion access
Groups from across the state are coming together to push the governor to do all he can to ensure that people who provide or seek abortions and those who support them are not punished.
June 30, 2022, 5:14 pm
By The Womxn Project
Statement from members of the Campaign for Equal Abortion Coverage on the public launch of a letter urging executive actions to make sure Rhode Island affirms and protects the right to abortion in this critical moment:
“With the shocking decision from the United States Supreme Court to overturn 50 years of precedent by overturning Roe v. Wade, the time is now to enact every policy possible to protect and expand access to care, including halting state bans on health coverage and making sure people can safely obtain abortions in Rhode Island even if they are from another state.
We are coming together to ask the governor to take concrete action. In this moment, more than ever it is not enough to say we protect the right if we do not ensure access and make sure that people who need care can get it whether they live here or not.
Specially, our organizations and the tens of thousands of people we work with and represent across are state are asking Governor McKee:
- Will you publicly commit to submitting a budget for FY 2024 that includes insurance benefits for abortion for state employees and people who use Medicaid?
- Will you urge the General Assembly to come back for a special session to get this important work done and pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act?
- Will you put out an executive order to ensure that people can get care no matter where they are from and support people in obtaining abortion in our state without being criminalized?
- Will you direct the health department and other agencies to look into ways to expand provision of abortion, including allowing for additional health professionals to provide both abortion pills and be trained to provide abortion procedures?
We have the chance to make sure that the people of our state are able to get abortions when they need them as a matter of rights, health and dignity, but more than that we have the obligation to step into this moment and ensure that our state is a place where people can turn. Let’s do more to live up to our state motto of “HOPE” by providing hope and care. We thank you for your consideration and urge you to take swift action.
