WA Dems to Sponsor Consitutional Amendment Protecting Abortion

Shortly after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, Gov. Inslee vowed to pursue an amendment to the WA State Constitution, codifying (protecting) abortion rights.

  Two Democratic Senators introduce a bill to amend the Constitution

According to information from MyNorthwest.com, two legislators, Senators Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines) and Sen. Patty Kuderer (D-Bellevue) have filed Senate Joint Resolution 8202, which would give Constitutional protection to abortion rights.

The bill has been profiled, meaning it's already on the docket for consideration. Gov. Inslee pushed for members of his party to do this after Roe vs. Wade was overturned.

  Is the Resolution meaningless?

Contrary to the erroneous beliefs of many, the overturning of Roe vs. Wade did not ban abortion, it simply gave the issue back to the states for their own control and consideration. Since the overturn, a number of states have passed bans, or temporary bans until their courts or voters can decide the issue.

However, since 1970, WA state has protected basic abortion rights via Referendum 20. It was passed by voters by a margin of just over 56 percent. The referendum was pushed after a pair of Seattle-area women were found dead following back-alley abortions that went terribly wrong in 1967.

Referendum 20 was passed several years before Roe vs. Wade was ruled on. Because WA already has basic abortion rights protections, giving Constitutional protection is considered by opponents to be a moot point.

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Opponents, including some GOP legislators, believe it's more of a political ploy, an effort to ensure that overturning abortion rights in WA going forward would be much more challenging.

The bill would require a two-thirds vote of the entire legislature, then it would have to go to a vote of the people as well.