For nearly 50 years America has lived a life with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision resulting in the death of more than 60 million unborn babies. Now, in 2022, we may finally see a post-Roe America. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion will be an issue decided at the state level. So what will this look like for California?
California already has established in the California Health and Safety Code a supposed right to an abortion. Governor Newsom and California legislators fear the overturning of Roe v. Wade and are preparing to make California an abortion sanctuary with new legislation and a state constitutional amendment to protect abortion.
In September 2021, the California Future of Abortion Council, (CA FAB) was created by more than 40 organizations and Democrat political leaders. This California pro-abortion council represents how the Democrat’s narrative has changed. The Democrat Party used to advocate for abortions that were “safe, legal, and rare,” but now it is advocating for some of the most extreme pro-abortion laws in the country. The pro-abortion bills being pushed by CA FAB will remove safety regulations, allow for the killing of a child up to one month after birth, and use taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion-related expenses for out-of-state residents. They want abortion to be the easiest, cheapest, and most convenient decision a mother can make.
A post-Roe California will, unfortunately, allow ab0rtions for all nine months of pregnancy and beyond. The current California Health and Safety Code states that an abortion is unauthorized if the “abortion is performed on a viable fetus.” While there is an exception, which will allow for the abortion to be authorized on a viable fetus when “the abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.”
The Supreme Court Case, Doe v. Bolton stated that a state must permit a “health” exception to pro-life laws. “Health” was defined so broadly as to allow abortions throughout pregnancy for nearly any reason, including the mental or emotional health of the mother, according to Family Research Council.
Now that the initial draft of the Supreme Court decision has been leaked striking down Roe v. Wade, Governor Gavin Newsom and the CA FAB are more determined than ever to turn California into an abortion sanctuary for the country.
Late last Monday, Governor Newsom announced with Senator Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon a state constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to abortion into California’s founding document. Governor Newsom stated, “We know we can’t trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution.” Governor Newsom believes that we cannot trust the Supreme Court to protect the right to abortion, although the court’s job is not to protect abortion, yet to uphold, guard, and interpret the Constitution. Unfortunately, the California Governor does not trust our country’s highest court.
The CA FAB is also pushing A.B. 2223, which includes language so vague that it allows for infanticide by shielding a mother and anyone who assists her from prosecution for the “perinatal death” of her child one month past birth or longer.
California Family Council will continue to stand for life, bring awareness to the pro-abortion bills that California legislators introduce, and inform constituents how to use their voices to be a voice for the voiceless.
Visit https://californiafamily.quorum.us/bills/ to learn more about the 13 CA abortion bills that we strongly oppose.
