HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania House, in its final legislative action of 2025, narrowly approved a bill that would give voters the chance to decide whether reproductive rights should be enshrined in the state constitution.
The chamber passed H.B. 1957 on Wednesday by a razor-thin, bipartisan vote of 102–101, advancing a proposal that would place a Reproductive Rights Amendment before voters if it clears additional legislative hurdles.
House Speaker Joanna McClinton, a Democrat from Philadelphia and Delaware County, said the measure responds to public concern following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“A majority of Pennsylvanians support women’s rights to reproductive care, which have been at risk since Roe was overturned in 2022,” McClinton said. She said the vote ensures residents have a direct say in protecting access to reproductive health care and privacy.
The bill is sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Danielle Friel Otten of Chester County, Liz Hanbidge of Montgomery County, and La’Tasha D. Mayes of Allegheny County. It proposes a constitutional amendment reaffirming an individual’s right to privacy and prohibiting the state from denying or interfering with personal reproductive decisions.
If ultimately approved by voters, the amendment would guarantee the right to make decisions about personal, sexual, and reproductive health care, including choosing or refusing abortion, contraception, or fertility care, without discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or relationship status.
Abortion remains legal in Pennsylvania, but access varies widely across the state. According to supporters of the legislation, about 85 percent of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties do not have an abortion provider, forcing some patients to travel more than 100 miles for care.
The vote comes as states across the country continue to diverge on reproductive policy in the post-Roe era, with some adopting constitutional protections and others imposing sweeping abortion bans. Supporters of the Pennsylvania proposal argue the trend highlights the role of voters in shaping reproductive rights.
McClinton noted that while polling shows roughly 80 percent of Pennsylvanians oppose criminalizing abortion, reproductive health policy remains deeply divisive in the Legislature. Since Democrats gained control of the House in 2023, several reproductive health bills have passed with bipartisan support but stalled in the Republican-led Senate.
For the proposed amendment to reach the ballot, identical language must be approved by both legislative chambers in two consecutive sessions. The Senate would need to act in 2026, with a second House vote required during the 2027–28 session before voters could weigh in.
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