Instead of concerning themselves with jobs, the economy, access to healthcare, and other issues of concern to Montanans, Republicans are spending their time focusing on unconstitutional attempts to ban abortion. Nearly twenty anti-abortion bills have been filed this session, and four have already passed second reading in the House. Republicans are moving these bills forward at breakneck speed without concern for whether they benefit Montanans. The broad array of measures, from attempts to limit access to medication abortions early in pregnancy to bans on abortions later in pregnancy, make plain the goal: to make abortion completely unavailable in Montana. These bills represent the worst kind of government overreach, placing the government between patients and the medical care they need and deserve, criminalizing medical professionals, and attempting to scare and intimidate patients with outrageous misinformation. This interference is not only morally wrong; it is in flagrant violation of the Montana Constitution.
Republicans have plowed ahead despite clear warnings that the bills are unconstitutional and will be challenged in court. They are prepared to unthinkingly commit the state to spending precious taxpayer dollars on unnecessary court battles to defend legally indefensible laws. Each time the state defends an unconstitutional abortion restriction in court, it wastes hundreds of thousands of dollars made off of the backs of hard-working Montanans. We call on Republicans to stop this reckless and futile campaign to end abortion and pay attention to the issues that will truly make a positive difference in the lives of Montanans.
Caitlin Borgmann, ACLU of Montana Executive Director
