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The Quickie: Today At 2:30pm ET: Press Call to Discuss Protecting Abortion Access in Upcoming VA Elections

For Immediate Release: Nov. 2, 2023


Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: Today’s press call with AMJ and more on Virginia elections, Michigan passes the Reproductive Health Act but the fight continues, PPAA endorses Pam Stevenson for Kentucky Attorney General, and spokespeople available for upcoming elections.

TODAY AT 2:30 PM ET: Press Call to Discuss Protecting Abortion Access in Upcoming VA Elections: Planned Parenthood Action Fund President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson will join leaders of EMILYs List, Reproductive Freedom for All, Russet Perry, Democratic candidate for VA Senate District 31, and Amy Laufer, Democratic candidate for the VA House of Delegates’ District 55 for press call today, at 2:30 p.m. ET. They will discuss Virginia’s critical upcoming election, the key legislative races that are essential to protect abortion access in the South, and anti-abortion politicians’ efforts to lie to voters and rebrand their extreme positions on abortion before Election Day. 

 

MICHIGAN HOUSE PASSES REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT, AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN ABORTION ACCESS, BUT MORE WORK NEEDED TO SECURE ACCESS FOR ALL:  The amended Reproductive Health Act (RHA) has passed the state House and will soon be heading to Governor Whitmer’s desk to be signed into law. It will repeal some of Michigan’s targeted regulation of abortion provider laws and repeal other harmful provisions on the books in Michigan, including repeal of restrictions on private insurance coverage of abortion. 

Unfortunately, vital provisions that would have expanded abortion access were not included in the final bill. Namely, a prohibition on Medicaid coverage for abortion care, the mandatory 24 hour waiting period, and biased counseling requirements will remain law — disproportionately harmful for Black and Brown communities, low-income people, and rural Michiganders.

“Today’s passage of the Reproductive Health Act is an important step forward for Michiganders, but sadly, only an incremental one. While we are grateful that Michigan’s TRAP laws will finally be repealed, making it less burdensome for abortion providers to expand into areas of the state that need them most, I am deeply disappointed that some of the worst restrictions that directly target my patients will remain on our law books,” said Dr. Sarah Wallett, Chief Medical Operating Office of Planned Parenthood of Michigan. “Every single day, I see patients who have struggled to pull together needed funds because Medicaid won’t cover their care. Every single day, we have to cancel and reschedule appointments because of insignificant clerical errors in state-mandated paperwork. This is not reproductive freedom.” 

Read more from Michigan Bridge here.

 

KEY ENDORSEMENT IN KY AG RACE: Today, Planned Parenthood Action Kentucky endorsed State Rep. Pam Stevenson for Attorney General. A Louisville native and Air Force Colonel and attorney, Stevenson has the experience and commitment Kentuckians need to fight the aggressive anti-abortion attacks from the Republican-led State Legislature. 

“Representative Pam Stevenson is a fighter. She has prioritized reproductive health throughout her campaign, just like she did in Frankfort, just like she will as Kentucky’s leading defender as Attorney General,” said Tamarra Wieder, Kentucky State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.   

“The situation in Kentucky is dire. Having someone like Stevenson as Attorney General will bring much needed relief to pregnant Kentuckians scared their private medical records will be used against them, and to providers who fear they could be criminalized for just doing their jobs.  Instead of instilling fear, Stevenson provides compassion. The fight to restore access to abortion is far from over, and with Stevenson as our Attorney General we will be closer to a reproductive freedom reality.” 

 

SPOKESPEOPLE AVAILABLE: Next week is Election Day and abortion rights will be a central issue in races up and down the ballot across the country. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v Wade, abortion rights are undefeated at the ballot box. Spokespeople are available at the national and state level who can speak to what’s at stake for abortion rights this cycle and what’s happening in key races.

Spokespeople Available for Media:

  • Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund
  • Jenny Lawson, executive director, Planned Parenthood Votes
  • Jamie Lockhart, executive director, Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC
  • Lauren Blauvelt, chair, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights
  • Tamarra Wieder, state director, Planned Parenthood Action Kentucky
  • Breana Ross, campaign director, Planned Parenthood Votes (covers Pennsylvania)

For scheduling, please contact: [email protected]

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