| Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion. Last week, the Supreme Court, by a 5-4 vote, upended health care access for millions of women across this country, ruling that it no longer interprets the United States Constitution as protecting the right to abortion. Instead, in many states, policymakers, insurance companies, providers, and others will now have the power to decide when or whether a pregnant woman can seek the care she needs. The Court’s decision will lead to an immediate ban on most abortions in a number of states, impacting not only abortion access but also access to contraception, counseling, and miscarriage and other important care. The impact of this will be felt most by those who already struggle to access health care, including those in low-income, underserved, and disinvested communities, as well as communities of color. California Attorney General Rob Bonta shared this statement: "I won't lie – this is a big setback for reproductive freedom and the guaranteed right to the full range of reproductive care, including access to safe, legal abortion. Abortion remains legal in California. And I can promise you today, tomorrow, and every single day to come that I will not stop fighting to protect and further codify these rights, because these... |