The Washington state Senate has passed a measure that would expand health insurance plans to cover birth control, including abortion.
Sen. Steve Hobbs, a Democrat from Lake Stevens, is the primary sponsor of the Reproductive Parity Act. He said the decision to have an abortion can be hard enough for women even without financial barriers. ??
“No woman should have to seek or pay for an additional rider or copay or have any other means of delay or financial burden for this coverage,” he said.??
Republican Sen. Jan Angel voted against the bill. ??
“We’re going to take human life and have an insurance mandate for abortion in this bill,” she said. “What are we coming to that we don’t value human life?” Angel said. ??
The measure was first introduced by state Democrats in 2012 but was held up in the Republican-controlled Senate. The bill now heads to the House for a vote.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story attributed the above quote to Rep. Shelly Short instead of Rep. Jan Angel.