Chair Mitchell’s Statement on LA County’s Efforts to Protect Access to Abortion and Reproductive Health Care in the Fight to Uphold Roe v. Wade

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Chair Holly J. Mitchell and co-authored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl to receive a report back in 30 days with a plan for how the County can protect and expand access to abortion rights and reproductive healthcare if Roe v. Wade is overturned this year. Chair Mitchell shared the following statement:

“It has been 49 years since the passage of Roe v. Wade, and we have never been closer to losing the constitutional right to abortion than we are now. Most legal scholars and Supreme Court experts anticipate this Supreme Court will overturn Roe v Wade when it finalizes its position this June. We cannot wait until the summer to start creating contingency plans for the ripple effect this will have on LA County.”

“I want to be clear that California and LA County will continue to protect the right to abortion and quality reproductive health care services. However, the elimination of this right in other states, can lead to an increased demand for contraceptives and abortion services at our County’s public and private hospitals and clinics.”

“This motion ensures we are doing the work now to understand what is needed to become a Haven County, in a Reproductive Freedom State like California, that is centered on protecting, and expanding, the ability of every person – regardless of from where they come – to access essential and high-quality reproductive health care.”

“I look forward to the report back from our County departments on what needs to be done to achieve this for the impending increase of Americans that will be looking to LA County for safe abortions and health care.”

To read the full motion here.

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