OLYMPIA – A bill putting Washington in the business of distributing abortion pills free of charge to clinics statewide and perhaps across the nation drew a noteworthy speech of opposition Tuesday from Sen. Leonard Christian, R-Spokane Valley.
Speeches for and against abortion are nothing new in Olympia. Nor is there anything unusual about a member talking about his or her personal experiences on the Senate floor. But it is rare indeed for a Republican to acknowledge how deeply he regrets his part in a girlfriend’s abortion when he was 16 years old. “It is a decision that I will always regret and never forget,” he said.
Christian’s remarks failed to turn the tide on Senate Bill 5917. The bill passed on a 32-17 vote, all Democrats voting yes, and the bill now moves to the House for further consideration.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, would allow the Department of Corrections to redistribute an enormous supply of abortion pills, free of charge, to clinics in Washington and perhaps in other states. The state started building its stockpile in 2023 amid fear that the availability of abortion pills would be restricted due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to return responsibility for abortion laws to the states.
So far the state has spent $2 million on abortion pills, utilizing DOC Pharmacy Services, state government’s biggest pharmacy operation. Though the initial batch already has expired, other pills in the state stockpile will reach their expiration dates in 2028 and 2029 and could still be redistributed. Current law requires DOC to recover its costs plus $5 a dose.
The bill not only allows abortion pills to be provided without charge, it also places no limits on distribution. That transforms the measure into a backhanded launch for an ongoing taxpayer-supported program, Christian said, as long as DOC keeps buying pills in bulk. Nor does the bill specify that pills be distributed only in Washingon state. The agency is required merely to consult with the Department of Health in determining where pills will be shipped.
“Does Washington state have a pile of money somewhere that I am not seeing?” Christian asked. “As long as Corrections keeps buying excessive quantities of abortion pills, this bill could make Washington state the free-abortion-bill provider for the entire country.”
Christian noted concerns Washington could ship abortion pills to clinics in states where laws restrict their availability, undermining the ability of other states to enforce their own laws. During Tuesday’s debate, Republicans offered amendments restricting pill distributions to Washington state, requiring payment for pills, and prohibiting the Department of Corrections from purchasing medications in excess of inmate needs. All were defeated.
Christian also offered an amendment requiring the Department of Corrections to inform women they can still change their minds after they take a first abortion pill, observing that two pills are required. In his remarks Christian said he wished that option had been available when he was 16. He accompanied his girlfriend Rima, now his wife, to an abortion clinic, and held her hand during what turned out to be a painful procedure.
“I can tell you it’s been 40-plus years, and I regret that decision today,” he said. “I should have been a man. I should have taken her out of there. But I didn’t.”
Christian said that rather than getting into the business of promoting abortion, the state should put its emphasis on healing women who undergo the procedure and experience regret.