Steve Williams, a Democrat running to be the next governor, has launched a statewide petition calling on Gov. Jim Justice to put reproductive freedom on the agenda of the upcoming special session of the Legislature.
He hopes the Republican-majority Legislature will approve a ballot measure giving voters the option if the justices approve the issue for a special session reintroduce the right to abortion.
Williams, who is mayor of Huntington, cited former Republican President Donald Trump’s statement Call to leave the matter to the states.
“This is not a Republican or Democratic issue,” Williams said in a news release Thursday. “Governor. The West Virginia judiciary and legislature should listen to Trump and let the people decide by putting this question on the November ballot.”
In February, Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, and seven Democratic colleagues, Laws introduced Calls for a ballot measure to allow voters to decide whether a person has the right to “make and implement their own reproductive decisions,” including decisions related to contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care and abortion.
The legislation received no traction during the regular session.
After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade In 2022, West Virginia lawmakers passed a near-total ban on abortion.
Since the Supreme Court ruling, some states, including Ohio, have passed constitutional amendments to protect abortion access.
Williams said West Virginia voters deserve the opportunity to have their voices heard “in restoring this fundamental freedom.”
“To opponents of reproductive freedom, I say: If you believe that the majority of West Virginians agree with you, then you have no reason to oppose this vote,” he said, adding that the petition is available at freedomwv.com.
“If you believe the majority disagrees with you, at least have the courage to tell voters that Trump is wrong and that the citizens of West Virginia should not be allowed to decide this issue at the ballot box. “
The four prominent Republican men running for governor have all said this before had no intention of changing The current abortion ban in West Virginia.
Candidate Moore Capito, who is in a tough race with Patrick Morrisey to win the May primary, Voted to change the state’s abortion law while he sits in the House of Representatives.
West Virginia’s abortion ban provides few exceptions, except for medical emergencies and for victims of rape and incest up to eight weeks of pregnancy for adults and 14 weeks for children – but only if they report to law enforcement first.
West Virginia voters in 2018 approved an anti-abortion amendment. State Democrats have said that they believe the outcome would be different now following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe.
State lawmakers are expected to return to Charleston for a special session in the coming months ongoing budget problems which were not resolved by the adjournment in March.
