Montana representative fights for abortion access
Rabbi Ed Stafman represents Bozeman and bases support on religion
Montana State Representative Ed Stafman said that while he was campaigning, he felt that there was support for abortion access on both sides of the aisle.
“When it comes to abortion, many doors I've knocked on with Republican constituents, that was one of their top concerns,” Stafman said.
Stafman recently drew attention for voicing religious support for abortion rights while introducing a bill that would protect medical providers who wanted to perform one.
His effort centers around what is known as conscience clauses, which have been around for a long time. They have been used as a justification for why an antiabortion doctor wouldn’t have to perform an abortion on a woman if it was against his or her religion. Stafman, a rabbi who represents Bozeman, wanted to extend that protection to people who supported abortion rights. The house judiciary committee voted down his bill on Monday.
“It respects everybody's right,” Stafman said. “And so you'd have to find a provider who is willing, whether it's a hospital or a doctor, or whoever. And you sign this statement that says, ‘This is my religious conscience,’ the same way it works now for vaccines.”
According to the Associated Press, Stafman’s bill didn’t say how the state would determine if religious protection should be granted, but healthcare providers can ask for employees to submit in writing their religious or moral refusals.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid form for those seeking an exemption from a required COVID-19 vaccine requires just a signature and no explanation. Under federal law, an individual can seek a religious exemption regardless of whether the religious beliefs, observances or practices are common or non-traditional and regardless of whether they are recognized by any organized religion.
The committee that voted it down has many members of the Freedom Caucus, which is a conservative religious bloc within the Montana legislature.
“As it turns out, they only stand for freedom of their religion,” Stafman said. “More like a theocracy where we get to impose their religion on everybody else.”
Stafman took some time to explain the religious makeup of Montana and the general views toward abortion he’s come across. The largest group is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, which Stafman said came to the hearing to testify in favor of abortion rights. So did the Universal Church of Christ, Unitarians, Methodists, Presbyterians and the Montana Association of Rabbis.