[G]ov. Phil Scott will let an abortion bill that has been a signature achievement of this year’s Legislature pass into law, his spokesperson said Monday evening.
The governor’s approval paves the way for Vermont to enact the broadest protections of reproductive rights of any state in the country.
The move would paint a stark contrast between Vermont’s Republican governor and his colleagues in other states, particularly in the South, who have supported new restrictions on abortion access.
Rebecca Kelley, Scott’s communications director, confirmed the news, which was first reported in a tweet by Stewart Ledbetter, a reporter and anchor for WPTZ. It’s not clear if the governor will sign the bill publicly, privately, or simply let it pass into law.
Scott said throughout the session that he supports a woman’s right to choose, but would not say whether he specifically supported H.57, the abortion bill. Many others in Vermont’s Republican Party, both inside and outside the Statehouse, said the bill went too far.
The legislation draws no distinction between the first and final month of pregnancy. However, supporters of the bill say that physicians can be trusted to only perform procedures when it is medically and ethically appropriate.
The governor said in a press conference last week that he believed concerns about the bill — held by some Republicans and Democrats — would be alleviated by greater understanding of what the legislation actually does, or doesn’t do. Vermont’s law is currently silent on abortion, meaning there are no restrictions on the procedure.
“What I’m feeling from some of the reaction that I’m receiving from many constituents across the state that they’re just uneasy about this, even though this is what we’re doing right now, there’s nothing that’s changing,” Scott said. “It’s just codifying what’s in practice.”
Vermont’s Legislature also approved a constitutional amendment this year that makes reproductive freedom a fundamental right. That still needs approval by the Legislature that is elected in 2020, before it goes to a statewide vote. It would be the first amendment of its kind in the United States.
Scott’s relationship with abortion rights advocates has warmed during his time in office. Planned Parenthood was a strong supporter of his opponent, Sue Minter, in 2016. But two years later, Scott scored 100% on a Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund candidate questionnaire. The organization did not endorse a gubernatorial candidate in 2018.
“For me, from my standpoint, again I believe in a woman’s right to choose and I believe the government should stay out of it,” Scott said during last week’s press conference. “This is a time that should be between a doctor and a woman.”
Scott has remained a dogmatic economic conservative, but has proven to be an ally of the Democratic Legislature on many social issues.
He will soon decide whether to sign a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period for handgun purchases. The governor signed an expansive package of gun control measures last year, surprising supporters and opponents alike, but has said he does not see need for further gun control this year.
“I haven’t read the bill completely yet,” he said of the gun bill. “I’d like to look at the data to see if it holds up”
JUST IN: Unrestricted abortion rights will become #VT law. Spokesperson for @GovPhilScott confirms Scott has decided to either sign.. or allow H. 57 to become law w/o his signature – the effect is the same. #vtpoli pic.twitter.com/7f5CCw6Ifz
— Stewart Ledbetter (@StewartMyNBC5) May 20, 2019
Xander Landen contributed reporting