Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Statement on Supreme Court Hearing Texas’ Extreme Abortion Ban

November 1, 2021
Brandon Richards, Director of Communications
[email protected]

SACRAMENTO — Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) released the following statement from President and CEO Jodi Hicks regarding this morning’s oral arguments before the United States Supreme Court involving Texas’ extreme and unconstitutional abortion ban known as Senate Bill 8.

“Despite agreeing to hear the challenges to the case, it’s devastating that the Supreme Court has allowed this abortion ban to remain in effect for so long—that we’ve gotten to this point is unprecedented and unconscionable. There is no question SB8 remaining in effect is having harmful effects on millions of people both in and out of Texas. For nearly two months, abortion access has been blocked for most people in Texas, forcing thousands to either make costly trips hundreds of miles across state lines—including to California—to access constitutionally protected health care or carry pregnancies. We also know many more people—disproportionately people of color, people with low incomes, and people in rural areas of the state—do not have the resources to make such a trip.”

“While we hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will step in and strike down this unconstitutional ban on abortion and use of ‘vigilante justice,’ organizations and policymakers throughout California are working right now to prepare for the possibility that people living in over half of the states may lose access to abortion care in the coming year with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear a direct challenge to Roe v Wade in another case just one month from now.”

“As a Reproductive Freedom state, California must continue to lead, and policymakers must be prepared to take swift action to ensure access to health care of all kinds.”

The California Future of Abortion Council (CA FAB Council) is currently conducting research and meeting regularly with the intent to recommend policies and actions so lawmakers and other stakeholders can best prepare California for potential drastic increases in out-of-state people seeking sexual and reproductive health care in California, including abortion. Learn more about the CA FAB Council here.

 

###

 

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) is the state public policy office representing California’s seven separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates. Through advocacy and electoral action, PPAC promotes sound public policy in areas of sexual and reproductive health care and sex education.