By Patrick Mcardle
RUTLAND HERALD
A group supporting passage of the Reproductive Liberty Amendment (Prop 5) kicked off their campaign Wednesday, promising to get information to voters ahead of the November vote, which could amend the Vermont Constitution.
Lucy Leriche, vice president of Public Affairs for the Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund, said the Vermont House of Representatives “made history” by voting for Proposition 5, commonly called “Prop 5,” which was the last step needed before the proposed amendment could be put before voters. It had already been supported once by the Vermont house and twice by the state Senate.
“We are so grateful to each member of the House and Senate who remained committed to protecting reproductive freedom for all Vermonters, every step of the way. Now, the Reproductive Liberty Amendment will be decided on by Vermont voters in November, and it’s up to all of us to get it across the finish line,” she said.
James Lyall, executive director of the ACLU of Vermont, said the “people of Vermont are justifiably proud of their state’s tradition of defending fundamental liberties and expanding civil rights protections.”
“This year Vermont will again be called on to help lead the way forward and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This year Vermont can again set an example for what is possible by declaring and establishing in our state Constitution that reproductive autonomy is a fundamental right for all and we can send a clear message, the American people overwhelmingly support the right of individuals to make reproductive health care decisions for themselves … and they will not tolerate these rights being taken away,” he said.
If the amendment is approved by voters, Vermont will be the first state to enshrine reproductive rights in its constitution. Leriche called the amendment “vital” because of the possibility the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the Roe v. Wade decision which established abortion rights nationally in 1973.
The language that will be put before voters states, “That an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy is central to the liberty and dignity to determine one’s own life course and shall not be denied or infringed unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”
Leriche said the language would also protect the right to carry a pregnancy to term and to accept or refuse contraception or sterilization.
There is opposition to Prop 5. Matthew Strong, executive director of Vermonters for Good Government, which is based in the Montpelier area, said the biggest concern his organization has is “what we don’t know yet.”
“It is vague and it seems intentionally vague. It seems there’s a possibility, as a result of that, of opening a Pandora’s box of unintended consequences that have not really been well thought out and Vermont voters have not really had a chance to weigh in,” he said.
Strong said he believes many Vermonters aren’t even aware of Prop 5 yet although he said the amendment could be “transformative.”
Jessica Arons, senior advocacy and policy counsel for reproductive freedom for the ACLU National, called the current situation a “tale of two countries,” with about half the states “poised to ban abortion if the Supreme Court lets them.”
“The right to abortion in this country is on the line as it’s never been since Roe was first decided. This is the time to show up for the right to reproductive freedom and send the message that we will do whatever we can to ensure that people can get the care they need no matter what,” she said.
Leriche said Planned Parenthood staff would approach their promotion of Prop 5 as they do their fundraising efforts.
“We want to just make sure that Vermont voters have all of the information about what the Reproductive Liberty Amendment is and what it does. We feel confident that armed with accurate information from a trusted source that the public will make good decisions when they get to the ballot box,” she said.
Strong said Vermonters for Good Government are organizing a grass-roots campaign that would include high-tech, modern systems to do “a full court press on getting Vermonters educated on the real world ramifications of Prop 5.
“It’s going to be a big effort,” he added.
Leriche said Planned Parenthood staff were “committed to protecting access to care.”
“An important reproductive health care decision should be guided by the patient’s health and well being not by politicians’ beliefs,” she said.
The Vermont Reproductive Liberty Amendment campaign is led by Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, Alliance for a Better Vermont and the League of Women Voters of Vermont.
The campaign has a website at reprolibertyvt.org and Strong’s organization is at vermontersforgoodgovernment.org online.
patrick.mcardle @rutlandherald.com
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