Predicting the fate of legislation in the waning hours of any Rhode Island Assembly session is always a fools’ errand. There are just a few weeks left in this year’s session. Unless things move quickly—which isn’t usually the case on Smith Hill—progressive Democrats will again be frustrated at the outcome of their legislative priorities.
The top priority this year, particularly for women Democratic lawmakers, is winning approval for a measure that would make abortion legal under state law in the event the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that made the medical procedure legal across the nation.
For nearly a half-century, abortion has been a culture war issue. That it resonates still can be seen every day at the Statehouse, where scores of placard-carrying advocates on both sides lobby lawmakers as the bells chime to signal the start of the daily business.
The House comfortably approved the measure by a 44 to 30 margin. But the issue is mired in the Senate, where a caustic debate is unresolved over access to later term abortions.
Other issues pushed by progressives are stalled. Some modest gun control measures may gain approval, but not any sweeping initiative, such as banning assault rifles. Making marijuana legal is also problematic, despite support from Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo. And there appears to be little appetite for tougher regulation of payday lenders, those modern loan sharks. Raimondo also supports cracking down on these high-interest lenders.
“The jury is still out,” says Rep. Deborah Ruggiero, a Jamestown Democrat, who holds out hope that a compromise can reached on abortion before the end comes, likely on a sweaty evening later this month.
By contrast, the lunch pail liberalism championed by organized labor has been winning. Two of the AFL-CIO’s top issues have been overwhelmingly approved. One is a boost to firefighter unions’ overtime rules. The other is continuing contract legislation for teachers and public employees in the heavily unionized public sector. Those measures went the unions’ way, despite a strenuous campaign against them by mayors and town council members.
Union leaders are also optimistic about another priority –raising the minimum wage, which is also supported by Raimondo. Small business leaders oppose the hike, but Raimondo has inserted a jump in the minimum wage in her budget request. The rate would go from $10.50 an hour to $11.10. Putting such measures in the budget make them difficult for rank-and file members to vote against.
George Nee, AFL-CIO chief, says labor has been successful this year by sticking with bread and butter matters and staying out of the cultural skirmishes that have come to define 21st Century American politics.
“We’re not involved in the abortion, guns and marijuana issues,” says Nee.
Other progressive proposals that skirt the culture wars may have a chance as the days dwindle toward adjournment. Rep. June Speakman, D-Warren, says a bill she is pushing to eliminate single-use plastic bags has a shot. And environmentalists say legislation creating a climate change fund for cities and towns by imposing a small tax on motor fuels also may pass.
But none of this will matter much to progressives if they can’t get the Senate to follow the House on the abortion front. This topic has overshadowed other issues and led to sniping on social media, which has brought a new twist to Statehouse debates. Jeff Levy, the lawyer spouse of Sen. Gayle Goldin, a Providence Democrat and ardent abortion rights supporter, has raised eyebrows with Twitter rants against senators who voted against Goldin’s Roe v. Wade proposal.
In the House, Speaker Nick Mattiello, a Cranston Democrat, has blunted the progressive thrust against his leadership team by allowing the Roe v. Wade measure to come to a floor vote, even though he personally opposes abortion rights. “I tip my hat to the speaker,” says Rep. Edie Ajello, the Providence Democrat who has long pushed for codifying Roe in state law.
This General Assembly session began on a chilly January afternoon with arguments about abortion rights. It may end on a hot June evening on the same note.
Scott MacKay’s commentary can be heard every Monday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 and at 5:44 in the afternoon.
