Pa. House advances Reproductive Rights Amendment with bipartisan support
Rep. Danielle Friel Otten December 17, 2025 | 5:52 PM
HARRISBURG, Dec. 17 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today approved a joint resolution sponsored by state Reps. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, and La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny, that would allow Pennsylvania residents to add a Reproductive Rights Amendment to the state constitution.
The Otten, Hanbidge and Mayes bill, H.B. 1957, proposes an amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution that would reaffirm and protect every Pennsylvanians’ right to privacy and ensure that the state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate personal decisions. The amendment would ensure that every individual has a right of privacy with respect to personal, sexual and reproductive health care decisions, including the right to choose or refuse an abortion, the right to choose or refuse contraceptives, and the right to choose or refuse fertility care, all without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion or relationship status.
The bill passed the House with bipartisan support by a vote of 102 to 101. Today’s action represents a significant step toward advancing the legislation, which could ultimately appear on a future ballot for Pennsylvania voters to decide whether fundamental reproductive rights should be explicitly protected in the state constitution.
For the first time in recent legislative history, Pennsylvania is taking proactive steps to protect and enshrine reproductive rights rather than merely responding to proposals that would criminalize, restrict, or endanger the lives of women. Otten said that the action represents a turning point: instead of reacting to attacks, the General Assembly is advancing a vision that secures lasting protections for Pennsylvanians and ensures that future generations inherit a commonwealth where reproductive freedom is guaranteed.
“Pennsylvanians deserve the opportunity to decide whether personal reproductive rights should be explicitly protected in our state constitution, and the Senate must act to make that possible,” Otten said. “The House has taken an important step forward, but this amendment cannot advance without the Senate’s consideration. Ultimately, this is not a decision for politicians alone – it is a question that belongs to the people of Pennsylvania. Across the country, voters have made their voices heard at the ballot box to safeguard reproductive rights, and our commonwealth must follow their example.
“As a mother to a young daughter, I feel a deep responsibility to ensure these protections are secured for her generation and for every Pennsylvanian. This amendment is about more than a single moment in time; it is about safeguarding privacy, autonomy, and the future of health care in our state. By advancing this measure, the Senate would give voters the opportunity to enshrine these rights and create a lasting safeguard for generations to come. The path forward will not be easy, but our call to action is clear: we must let the people decide.”
“In the wake of the Dobbs decision, it has become painfully clear that reproductive freedom cannot be assumed -- it must be explicitly protected,” Hanbidge said. “This amendment is about safeguarding the full range of reproductive health care, from contraception and fertility care to the right to make decisions about pregnancy, free from political interference. Pennsylvanians should never have their most personal medical decisions dictated by changing courts or shifting political agendas. By advancing this amendment, we are taking a decisive, proactive step to protect privacy, autonomy, and reproductive health care for generations to come.”
“Safeguarding the right to abortion is vital to reproductive health, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice in Pennsylvania. Decisions about pregnancy and personal health belong to the individual, not the government, and it is our responsibility as legislators to protect that freedom by codifying the right to abortion in our state constitution,” Mayes said. “With more than 25 years of experience advocating for reproductive justice nationwide, I have worked at the federal, state, and local levels to expand access to quality, affordable, and accessible health care, including abortion. The right to make decisions about our bodies is a fundamental human right and the true meaning of reproductive justice.”
With today’s passage in the House, the amendment will now be referred to the Senate. To appear on a future ballot, the proposed amendment must pass both chambers of the legislature in two consecutive sessions, with no changes to the bill’s language. The Senate’s action in 2026 will determine whether Pennsylvanians move one step closer to having their voices heard on this issue -- or whether the process must start over in the 2027–28 legislative session. If the amendment advances through the Senate in 2026, it will return to the House for its second round of consideration in the 2027–28 session.