HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania House and Senate Democrats were expected to gather Monday morning to condemn the overturn of Roe V. Wade and discuss how they believe this will impact women in Pennsylvania.
Abortion has been legal in Pennsylvania under decades of state law, including a 1989 law that was challenged all the way to the U.S Supreme Court.
Republicans who control the Pennsylvania legislature are opposed to abortion rights, but the state's Democratic governor is a strong supporter.
The race for governor later this year could tilt that balance.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has vowed to protect access to abortion for the remainder of his time in office.
He has vetoed three GOP-penned bills in five years that would have added restrictions beyond the state's 24-week limit.
Running to replace him is the state's Democratic attorney general, Josh Shapiro, who supports abortion rights, and Republican state senator Doug Mastriano, who has said he supports banning abortion altogether, with no exceptions.
Wolf says this upcoming November race is now more important than ever.
"It's a very important election anyway, but this ruling makes that election even more important because whoever sits at this desk is the one who's going to determine whether Pennsylvanians can continue to count on the right to make their own decision," said Wolf.
Local organizations in Pennsylvania who support the overturn of Roe V. Wade also shared their thoughts on the ruling.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute said in a statement:
“This is a human rights issue, and these unborn children, the most vulnerable among us, deserve a voice in the American democratic process,” said Alexis Sneller, Communications and Policy Officer at the Pennsylvania Family Institute, “Roe being overturned is a win for unborn children, women, men, and society as a whole. It’s a tragedy that here in PA over two million abortions have occurred since Roe. We can and must do better for the sake of unborn children and their mothers.”
The Pennsylvania Pro-Life federation also said in a statement:
“If you read the Court’s decision, it is clear that a so-called ‘right to abortion’ appears nowhere in the US Constitution. The policy issue has returned to the states, and we look forward to the day when all preborn children are welcomed in life and protected under the law."
Pennsylvania House & Senate Democrats are set to meet at 11:30 this morning outside the state capitol building.