The conservative Supreme Court is undermining the right to an abortion, which will result in states across the country banning access to safe, affordable reproductive health care, creating insurmountable challenge in many communities.
We need to act now to ensure abortions remain safe and legal in California and that important health care decisions are left to a person and their provider with the backing of science and evidenece based medicine- not written by a political agenda.
Senate Constitutional Amendment (SCA) 10 will add the right to an abortion directly into the California state Constitution to ensure that, in California, people continue to have the power to control their own bodies and personal decisions.
SCA 10 will amend the State Constitution to explicitly prohibit the State from denying or interfering with personal choices related to reproductive care. It declares that individuals have a fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and to use or refurse birth control.
Abortion is a personal decision and people should be able to make their own medical decisions with their health care providers. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s about to strike down Roe v. Wade, many states across the country will limit or outright ban abortion access, making getting care more about a political agenda and less about scientific facts.
We need to protect people’s fundamental right to control their own body and ensure that everyone has options when it comes to making decisions about their reproductive health care.
SCA 10 will continue to allow individuals and families to have the freedom to decide if and when to have children, giving people the ability to plan their lives and achieve their dreams.
No matter what the Supreme Court decides, in California – health care is a right.
Although California law provides meaningful protections for reproductive rights against state interference, the draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court highlights how California will no longer be able to rely on long-standing federal protections. Expressly stating a fundamental right to abortion in the state constitution will protect against potential future attacks at the federal level and from courts down the line. Additionally, the draft opinion previews how the Court plans to erode privacy principles under the U.S. Constitution, which protects some of our most basic civil rights.
Regardless of who or what party controls the government or the Courts, we need to ensure that any person’s right to an abortion is protected in California. It’s essential that California continue to have the strongest laws in the nation so that we can continue to be a beacon of hope for those who may need to access essential health care.
