HARRISBURG – The PA Pro-Life Federation is speaking out after Gov. Tom Wolf filed a lawsuit against a Constitutional Amendment which would keep abortion out of the PA Constitution. Legislative Director Maria Gallagher says the General Assembly has a right to seek to amend the Constitution, and to do so without the consent of the Governor. Prior to Roe v. Wade, the common law, statutory law, and case law of PA all prohibited abortion. Therefore, Gov. Wolf’s claims that this Amendment is ‘removing rights’ from the Constitution or ‘scaling back’ on a fundamental right of privacy that includes a right to abortion is false. Gallagher added there is no reference to “abortion” in the PA Constitution nor is there any case construing the PA Constitution to include a right to abortion. Pro-abortion groups have filed a lawsuit before the PA Supreme Court trying to get the current Court to find a non-existent right to abortion in the Constitution and force taxpayers to fund abortion. In the absence of the amendment, the Court could usurp the legislative function and require that abortion be allowed on demand up until birth and also require that taxpayers fund it – all contrary to the will of the people.
