CALIFORNIA, USA — Governor Gavin Newsom held a media briefing in Los Angeles County Wednesday to discuss California's commitment to safeguarding reproductive freedom.
“This is a remarkable moment in American history when all over the country instead of expanding rights they’re about to roll back rights. Our entire history is about expanding rights not restricting rights. If you think it affects someone else over there – this is about you -- they’re coming after you. Who are you? All of us,” Newsom said.
News reports earlier this week detailed a preliminary U.S. Supreme Court majority draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade and end federal constitutional protections for the right to abortion.
When asked during the media briefing what his message was to women out there who are scared about this decision, Newsom said, “you matter, we care, we have your back and we love you – we’re not walking away from you. Your body, your choice."
California's governor and top legislative leaders want to add abortion protections to the state's constitution. Their comments came just hours after Politico published a draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court. The opinion indicated a majority of justices support overturning the decision that stops states from banning abortions.
If that happens, abortion rights groups say at least 26 states are likely to restrict or ban the procedure. Newsom has pledged to make California a sanctuary for people from other states seeking abortions. Adding abortion protections to the state's constitution would make it much harder for future lawmakers to repeal them.
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted that “our daughters, sisters, mothers, and grandmothers will not be silenced.”
Newsom’s office said its goal is to put the amendment on the ballot this November, though lawmakers will have to act quickly to make that happen. They have to vote on it before the end of June to give state officials enough time to print the ballots.
It takes a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That shouldn’t be a problem in California’s Legislature. Democrats control so many seats they could muster the necessary votes without relying on Republicans.
The amendment would become law if more than 50% of voters support it in November. About 76% of likely California voters oppose overturning Roe v. Wade, according to an April poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank.
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