The Vermont legislature passed a bill protecting abortion at all stages of pregnancy for any reason Monday and pushed forward a measure to make abortion a constitutional right.
The bill, which passed both chambers of the state legislature, aims to "recognize as a fundamental right the freedom of reproductive choice and to prohibit public entities from interfering with or restricting the right of an individual to terminate the individual’s pregnancy," according to Catholic News Agency.
The bill passed the House 106-37 and the Senate 24-6. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R.) has expressed support for protecting a woman's ability to get an abortion, but it is not certain he will sign this bill.
Vermont's legislature advanced a measure last week which would enshrine the right to abortion in the state's constitution. The measure must be passed again by the 2021-2022 legislature and approved by voters in the 2022 election.
The Democratic Party has adopted an increasingly radical position on abortion in recent months.
In January, Democrats in the Virginia state legislature proposed expanding abortion access to up to 40 weeks, including to the moment right before birth.
In February, Senate Democrats blocked the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act which would have required doctors to provide medical care to babies who survive abortion.
Last month, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D.) vetoed a bill that would have mandated physicians care for infants who survive abortion. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D.) vetoed a similar bill last week.