California reaction to draft Roe ruling + Transgender ‘refuge’ bill a model for other states
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CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS WEIGH IN ON LEAKED ROE V. WADE DRAFT OPINION
On Tuesday, it was THE story: The U.S. Supreme Court, in a draft opinion, has voted to overrule Roe v. Wade, according to a report from Politico. Though that isn’t (yet) the official position of the court, the news nevertheless struck the nation like a thunderclap. California, an abortion stronghold, was no exception.
Right away, Gov. Gavin Newsom was out with a statement vowing to “fight like hell” against the draft opinion.
Then, also Monday night, Newsom along with legislative leaders Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins announced their intent to introduce an amendment to the California Constitution to enshrine abortion into law.
Many California lawmakers weighed in on the news, including Legislative Women’s Caucus Chair Cristina Garcia and vice-chair Nancy Skinner, both Democrats.
“If SCOTUS adopts this deplorable draft decision and overturns Roe, it will not stop abortions but rather lead to unsafe and deadly abortions, especially for our most marginalized communities. Lack of access across the United States disproportionately affects communities of color, low-income communities, trans, and other marginalized communities. This fight is not just about a person’s right to control their own destiny, but about ensuring our most vulnerable community members have equal access. It’s about equity. This will be the first time my generation will lose a fundamental right — the right to choose, especially if you’re Black, Brown, LGBTQ, immigrant, or low-income,” Garcia said in a statement.
“Unlike women before me, I grew up without having to face the choice of a back-alley abortion. I am outraged to learn that what we have feared is all too likely to come true: Millions of Americans will lose their legal right to make the very personal choice of whether to continue a pregnancy, no matter what the circumstance. Facing an unwanted and unplanned for pregnancy, I had my abortion legally and in a safe medical setting. If this leak is correct and Roe v. Wade is overturned, the Supreme Court will not prevent abortions, instead they will unleash unsafe and often deadly abortions. Decades of advocacy, hard work, and sacrifices made for the freedom to choose what happens to our own bodies will be completely undone. The Legislative Women’s Caucus and California will vigorously uphold reproductive freedom for all who live here and who come here,” Skinner added.
Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener tweeted that the SCOTUS is unlikely to stop at abortion rights.
“Justice Alito’s draft opinion also advocated for erasure & criminalization of LGBTQ people — overturning marriage equality & reinstating anti-sodomy laws. They’re coming for us next. They’re trying to take our country back to the 1950s. We won’t let them,” Wiener wrote in a tweet.
California’s legislative Republicans stayed mostly silent on the issue, though Republican Sen. Melissa Melendez wrote in a tweet, “To combat the Roe v. Wade decision, democrats in CA have introduced SB 1142 which would invite women across the country to come to CA for an abortion, paid for by CA. Planned parenthood is salivating at the thought of all the $ they will make.”
Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley tweeted, “The leaked opinion would change literally nothing in California. Yet politicians are already using it to push radical policies that go far beyond what Californians of either party support.”
NATIONWIDE WAVE OF TRANSGENDER ‘REFUGE’ BILLS ANNOUNCED
Many states have passed laws, or are in the process of passing laws, that restrict transgender teens’ ability to obtain gender-affirming medical treatment, such as hormones and puberty blockers.
In response, Sen. Scott Wiener announced a bill, SB 107, that would make California a “refuge” for transgender teens and their families, where they can seek care without facing criminal or civil penalties. That bill is currently awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Now, Wiener and his political allies hope to make it a model for legislation across the country. On Tuesday, Wiener, along with Equality California, the LGBTQ Victory Institute and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California announced that similar legislation will be rolling out in 16 other states: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
“Today, we’re proud to announce that over a third of the states in our country are pushing back on the horrendous anti-trans legislation we’re seeing in Texas and elsewhere,” Wiener said in a statement. “We’re making it crystal clear: we will not let trans kids be belittled, used as political pawns and denied gender-affirming care. “
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“After being sworn in this morning, I thanked the people of San Francisco for their trust and for the responsibility to work on their behalf. I spoke about the challenges and opportunities we face as a state, and committed to fight to protect reproductive freedom and health.”
- Newly minted Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, via Twitter.
Best of The Bee:
California leaders are calling for an amendment to the state Constitution guaranteeing abortion rights as the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn federal protections, via Lindsey Holden.
Suddenly, abortion has the potential to figure prominently in the races for California’s swing House districts – and maybe in which party controls Congress after the November midterm elections, via David Lightman.
California state officials and lawmakers were quick to weigh in Monday night and Tuesday morning, following Monday night’s Politico report that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a draft opinion to overturn a pair of landmark abortion rights rulings, including Roe v. Wade, via Andrew Sheeler.
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 4:55 AM.