Avalanche of Right-Wing Legislation Expected in Republican States

Avalanche of Right-Wing Legislation Expected in Republican States



The 24 states where Republicans now hold total control are planning a “juggernaut of conservative legislation” that could especially impact women’s access to reproductive health, according to the Washington Post.

States like Tennessee can expect to see further restrictions on abortion access in the coming months, following an amendment to the state constitution that was narrowly passed in November. Tennessee’s Amendment 1 takes away privacy rights for abortion and birth control access and permits state legislators to pass laws restricting abortion and birth control. Republican State House Speaker Beth Harwell plans to take up three more restrictive measures, previously struck down by the state Supreme Court. Because of Tennessee’s privacy clause that was amended by Amendment 1. The three, if passed by the Tennessee legislators, measures would require a woman seeking an abortion to go through a waiting period and receive mandatory counseling, and would mandate stricter inspections for clinics.

Attacks on labor unions are to be expected as well, as Republican legislators plan to take up dozens of measures that challenge the power of labor union. Many of these measures are designed to weaken labor unions. Moreover, bills designed to privatize many social services, such as kindergarten development, are expected.

Right-wing legislation advocated by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a right-wing think tank that promotes model legislation, is going to eliminate defined benefit pension systems and replace it with a defined contribution system. A prime target will be public employees’ pension plans, which would directly affect state employees in traditionally female roles, such as teachers, administrative staff, hospital workers, but would also impact firefighters and police officers.

http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2015/01/05/avalanche-of-right-wing-legislation-expected-in-republican-states/