The state of California is stepping up to help ensure that American women have access to safe abortions, releasing on Wednesday a new legislative proposal to position itself as a “refuge” of abortion rights.
The state’s political leaders said that they will make California a sanctuary if the Supreme Court does rule to ban abortions through state laws, reintroducing a patchwork-like approach to abortion laws like existed before the landmark Roe v Wade precedent.
The proposal was released with the support of Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as wide support from the leaders of the state’s two legislative chambers. It calls for an increase in funding to abortion clinics and providers, as well as dozens of additional measures in order to ensure clients have access to women’s healthcare services.
The proposal even includes a specific recommendation to provide ways for low-income women to travel to the state for an abortion. Details on how California would fund procedures for women who are out-of-state will be negotiated in 2022 in the State Legislature. The head of California’s Senate, Toni G. Atkins, said that it could very likely be a mixture of both public and private funds.
The Supreme Court last week appeared to be leaning towards upholding a Mississippi law that bans almost all abortions at the 15-week mark, which is before the guaranteed access provided by Roe v. Wade and upheld by Casey v. Planned Parenthood, currently at 24 weeks. If the Supreme Court does allow Mississippi’s law to remain in place, the ruling will reverberate across the country.
At least 21 states have “trigger laws” in place ready to go, which would restrict abortion access in their state, citing the Mississippi case as precedence. This means nearly half of America could soon restrict a woman’s access to safe abortion.
Two years ago, Gov. Newsom issued an official proclamation that the state was a “reproductive freedom state,” and his office says this new measure is a continuation of that promise.
The Supreme Court is not expected to officially rule on the Mississippi case until 2022.
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