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Senadora Maria Collett

Harrisburg, Pa. − July 8, 2022 − Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 106 mostly along party lines (28-22) and will be sending it to the House for concurrence. Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) voted against this bill and wishes to share her reactions:

  • “I’m incredibly disappointed that Pennsylvania Republicans continue to introduce legislation for constitutional amendments in attempt after attempt to circumvent the legislative process and turn a blind eye to the core purpose of a three-pronged government. The constitutional amendment process is sacred and meant to be an exception, not the rule. But it has become clear that this is the only way for Republicans to get wildly unpopular initiatives passed.”
  • “It may seem like constitutional amendments would be the most democratic means of assessing the will of the people. Unfortunately, the reality is that voter participation in the amendment process is lower than in that of nearly all other elections because the majority continues to place amendments on the ballot in primary elections, which have lower turnout, particularly among Independent and third-party voters, young voters and voters of color. Republicans have contributed to this. Republicans know this. And now Republicans seek to take advantage of this in the most dangerous way. “
  • “Instead of voting to pass an overdue budget, the majority party called a late-night committee meeting to add an abortion ban, by amendment, to an already-troubling bill (SB 106) to restrict voting rights through constitutional amendment. The only way to keep these and other unpopular policies from sneaking onto a future primary ballot is by creating a new majority in the General Assembly, one that will stop this nonsense and get to work passing legislation that reflects your priorities. It’s up to you to decide whether to keep the status quo, in which legislation to create a gas tax holiday, address inflation, and help hardworking Pennsylvanians save for the future sits in the wings, or whether you want people who will push your priorities, not their own.”
  • “Following the fall of Roe v Wade, what happens at the state level is more important than ever. While I am grateful for the actions President Biden announced today to help safeguard reproductive health care services nationally, executive orders can only go so far. That’s why it’s so critical that we protect and elect people who will pass the bill I’m introducing with my Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues to codify the protections of Roe into Pennsylvania law. Short of that, our rights will continue to hang in the balance.”

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