Washington lawmakers hear testimony on 7 abortion bills

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Abortion rights proposals were front and center this week in Olympia, Washington, as state lawmakers heard hours of public testimony on seven proposals that would reinforce abortion access. The Seattle Times reports the emphasis on four legislative committees hearing abortion bill testimony in one day Tuesday was intended to demonstrate majority Democrats’ support for abortion rights following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills that would protect abortion providers in Washington from facing retaliation from other states and lower costs for patients, among others. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is pushing for a state constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights in the state.