The Quickie: Nebraska Plans To Take Abortion Rights Directly To Voters

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: Nebraska moves forward with abortion ballot efforts, Planned Parenthood launches an ad campaign for PA Supreme Court elections, and Oregon celebrates recently enacted protections for gender-affirming and reproductive care.

NEBRASKA PLANS TO TAKE ABORTION RIGHTS DIRECTLY TO VOTERS: Nebraska is the latest state to move forward with a possible effort to enshrine the right to abortion in its state constitution. The political campaign committee Protect Our Rights has filed the paperwork to put abortion rights before Nebraska voters through a ballot initiative next year. A harmful 12-week abortion ban has been in effect since May, forcing people to flee the state to access basic health care. While a challenge to the law continues in court, advocates are committed to doing whatever possible to restore abortion access in their state. 

“Protect our Rights is a grassroots coalition who believe that all Nebraskans have a right to the freedom to make their own decisions about pregnancy and abortion, without government interference,” Andi Curry Grubb, the executive director for Nebraska of Planned Parenthood North Central States, told the Nebraska Examiner.

“I think the majority of Nebraskans agree that the government shouldn’t be involved in these decisions,” Curry Grubb said, adding that reproductive rights are “becoming more and more of a nonpartisan issue.”

Read more in the Nebraska Examiner.
 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD VOTES LAUNCHES AD CAMPAIGN IN PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT RACE: Yesterday, Planned Parenthood Votes (PPV) released a six-figure digital ad campaign focused on anti-abortion rights candidate Carolyn Carluccio who is running for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Carluccio has scrubbed her website of anti-abortion language and is hiding her dangerous positions. The ads will run on digital platforms across the state to remind voters of what’s at stake in this election. PPV has endorsed Daniel McCaffery for the election on November 7th.

WATCH HERE

“Carolyn Carluccio ran on being an anti-abortion judge in the Republican primary but now she’s trying to hide her anti-abortion views. She cannot be trusted to respect Pennsylvanians’ constitutional rights,” said Breana Ross, spokesperson, Planned Parenthood Votes. “This election could determine the future of abortion access in the state and Daniel McCaffery is the leader Pennsylvania needs. He will be a champion for Pennsylvanians' personal freedoms on the court and serve as a critical backstop against anti-abortion legislative attacks.” 

More from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star

OREGON GOV. CELEBRATES RECENTLY ENACTED PROTECTIONS FOR ABORTION ACCESS AND GENDER AFFIRMING CARE: Earlier this week, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek celebrated the enactment of HB2002, legislation to protect abortion access and gender affirming care across the state. The law’s ceremonial signing included advocates from the reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ communities, and comes at a critical time in the abortion access crisis. As Gov. Kotek explained, “Neighboring states are banning and criminalizing essential health care, threatening patients and providers, cutting off access to care in rural communities, and targeting access to lifesaving health care for transgender and non-binary individuals. Here in Oregon, we’re taking a stand.”

Among other provisions, HB 2002 establishes a broad right of individuals to make decisions about their reproductive health, including decisions about their use of contraception and abortion. The bill also includes shield provisions to protect individuals and providers seeking legally-protected reproductive health care services from civil or criminal penalties from hostile out-of-state actors. HB 2002 also makes accessing reproductive health care easier, mandating greater insurance coverage for Oregonians. As Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon shared when the bill passed:

"The passage of HB 2002 marks a critical and necessary response to the threats presented by the loss of Roe in access to essential health care services, including abortion and gender-affirming care. At Planned Parenthood, we believe the passing of this bill is a huge win for Oregonians, and for our patients who have a right to sexual and reproductive health services and bodily autonomy.”

Read more from the Salem Statesman Journal here