This November, Virginian voters will have the chance to weigh in on three major changes to the Commonwealth’s constitution.
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This November, Virginian voters will have the final say in enacting three major changes to the state constitution. The General Assembly has already passed each of the three amendments, which include codifying access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion; removing the ban on same-sex marriages; and automatically restoring the voting rights of convicted felons’ post-incarceration.
Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, says his Center supports the Amendment protecting reproductive rights as part of Jewish tradition, which states that the well-being of a living person takes precedence over a potential life, “We believe – as rooted in Jewish tradition – that if the psychological, emotional, and spiritual life of the woman is in danger, then Rabbinic literature – for centuries – preferences the life and the well being of the mother.”
Pesner says this isn’t a partisan issue for his organization, but rather an ideological one, “We’re strictly non-partisan. It’s not about, you know, one party or another party. So, we want to make sure abortion rights are permanently enshrined in the Virginia constitution so that we don’t have to have this battle election over election.”
If passed, the amendment would declare prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, fertility care, and miscarriage management as fundamental rights.
The post Next Month: Reproductive Rights are One of Three Amendments on the Ballot first appeared on News/Talk 960-AM & FM-107.3 WFIR.
