(Host) In the first roll call vote of the new Legislative session, the Vermont House has signaled its strong opposition to a parental notification policy on abortion.
Newport Representative Duncan Kilmartin tried to amend a resolution that marked the thirty-second anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Roe v. Wade. The amendment supported the court decision, except in the case of parental notification. And it also applauded any health care providers who refuse to be part of an abortion procedure.
Derby Representative Loren Shaw strongly supported the amendment:
(Shaw) “When a school nurse cannot even give our children an aspirin, that same child can go get an abortion but cannot get an aspirin from our school nurse? It just doesn’t make sense.”
(Host) But Norwich Represetnative Ann Seibert urged House members to defeat the proposal:
(Seibert) “I’m not aware of any statute or court cases that have guaranteed the rights of conscience of health care providers and that, while Congress and the federal administration is headed down the road to restrict women’s rights, that is not the road that Vermonters have chosen or would applaud as this amendment suggests.”
(Host) The House defeated the amendment by a two to one margin. It then gave its strong approval to the original resolution that supported the Court’s 1973 ruling on abortion.