The Quickie: Victory for Abortion Access in South Carolina
For Immediate Release: Jan. 6, 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: six-week abortion ban struck down in South Carolina, Idaho Supreme Court upholds near total abortion ban, and abortion rights near codification in Minnesota!
VICTORY FOR ABORTION ACCESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA: Yesterday, South Carolina’s Supreme Court permanently struck down the state’s ban on abortion after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, ruling that the law violates South Carolinians’ right to privacy under their state constitution.
“This is a monumental victory in the movement to protect legal abortion in the South,” said Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and our partners will continue our fight to block any bill that allows politicians to interfere in people’s private health care decisions.”
“Today’s ruling is a win for freedom,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO. “We are relieved that this dangerous law has been relegated to the history books and can no longer threaten patients and providers in South Carolina. Reproductive health care, including abortion, is a fundamental right that should never be subject to the whims of power-hungry politicians.”
The six-week ban — which had been enjoined by federal courts since 2021 — took effect shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, but the South Carolina Supreme Court blocked the ban again in August while Planned Parenthood and abortion providers’ new state court challenge to the law proceeded. Yesterday’s ruling — the culmination of that challenge — permanently strikes down the law, allowing doctors to continue providing abortion care to patients beyond the earliest stages of pregnancy in a region decimated by state abortion bans.
Read more at Washington Post, AP, and the Post & Courier.
IDAHO SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN: Yesterday, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution does not protect the right to abortion, upholding three state abortion bans including a near-total trigger ban and a law allowing anyone to sue those who help someone obtain an abortion. The consequences of this decision will fall largely on people who already face the greatest barriers to health care, including Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with low incomes, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and people living in rural areas.
“This is a dark day for the state of Idaho, but our fight is far from over,” said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Indiana, Kentucky. “Planned Parenthood will never back down. We will keep fighting with everything we’ve got to restore Idahoans’ right to control our bodies and our lives. No matter what happens, Planned Parenthood is here for you. Our doors are open in Idaho, and our teams are ready to help you get the care you need, even if that means traveling out of state.”
Read more at AP and Idaho Statesman.
ABORTION RIGHTS BILL ON THE FAST TRACK IN MINNESOTA: Yesterday, the Minnesota Health Finance and Policy Committee approved the Protect Reproductive Options Act (PRO Act) — the first step on “the fast track to becoming law,” as reported by the Associated Press.
The newly-elected democratic trifecta has made passing the PRO Act, would codify the right to abortion, birth control, and fertility treatments into law, a top priority for the 2023 legislative session.
Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sarah Traxler testified during the hearing on Thursday, emphasizing the importance of the bill for patients and providers in Minnesota and across the country:
“Minnesotans deserve to make their own health care decisions based on science with experts — not politicians or judges. By passing the Protect Reproductive Options Act and codifying reproductive rights into state law, Minnesota can become a national leader for reproductive freedom and equity and improved public health overall. Passing the PRO Act would be a historic step in the right direction. It makes me helpful for the future of Minnesota knowing that future generations will have the bodily autonomy and freedom they deserve.”
The bill now moves to the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee for a hearing on Tuesday, January 10 at 8:30 am CST.