What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom released statements today to mark two years since an extreme conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion care.
June 24, 2024 - Sacramento, California – Two years ago today, the extreme conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion care in this country by overturning Roe v. Wade. Following the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, conservative states across the U.S. passed crushing abortion bans and Republican leaders began working to eliminate access to other reproductive rights, including contraceptives, Mifepristone, and even IVF.
“Two years ago today, the extreme conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion in this country – in the years since, over a dozen states have passed abortion bans that put essential care out of reach for the people who need it most.
“Conservative lawmakers and judges continue to attack abortion, IVF, and birth control, but those of us who cherish freedom and individual liberty will always protect these essential rights. If you are no longer able to get abortion care in your home state, California has the resources and support available to help you exercise your reproductive freedom – and we will always stand ready to fight.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
“Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, women’s most intimate decisions about their health and futures have been consistently legislated at the state level and rolled back by conservative extremists who have prioritized control over women’s bodies over our health, safety and well-being. But in California, we’ve never stopped working to protect and expand reproductive rights, serving as a safe haven for those who live here and those who travel here for care.”
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Governor Newsom actions to protect abortion access:
In the years since the Dobbs decision, California has stepped up to lead the way in protecting access to reproductive freedom for people in California and for those who travel to California to access this essential health care:
- June 2022, Governor Newsom:
- Signed legislation to help protect patients and providers in California against radical attempts by other states to extend their anti-abortion laws into California, on the same day Roe v. Wade was overturned.
- Invested over $200 million in reproductive health care. A large amount of these funds have already been disbursed for a variety of community efforts to maintain and increase reproductive health care services.
- Issued an Executive Order protecting all state-held data and information from being used by out-of-state anti-abortion groups to target providers and patients.
- Joined the Governors of Oregon and Washington to launch a new Multi-State Commitment to defend access to reproductive health care and protect patients and providers.
- September 2022:
- Governor Newsom launched Abortion.CA.Gov to ensure people across California, and the country, can access essential information regarding reproductive health care, including resources available to support access to care.
- Governor Newsom, working with the Legislature, ensured California passed the largest reproductive freedom bill package in state history, building firewalls around California as a reproductive freedom state.
- November 2022:
- Governor Newsom posthumously pardoned California abortion provider Laura Miner as a powerful reminder of the generations of people who fought for reproductive freedom in this country.
- Voters pass Governor Newsom and the Legislature’s Proposition 1, an amendment to the state constitution to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom – including abortion care and contraception.
- January 2023: First Partner Siebel Newsom joined reproductive rights leaders on the steps of the California Capitol to talk about the importance of storytelling, uplifting voices, and sharing lived-experiences when it comes to the fight for reproductive freedom.
- February 2023: Governor Newsom launched the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a coalition of 22 Governors fighting together to protect and advance reproductive freedom.
- March 2023: Governor Newsom joined 13 other Governors in calling on major pharmacies to clarify plans for dispensing Mifepristone and other actions they plan to take to safeguard access to reproductive health care drugs.
- April 2023: Governor Newsom procured an emergency stockpile of Misoprostol, a safe and effective medication abortion drug, as legal challenges continue to move through the courts in an attempt to block Mifepristone.
- May 2023: First Partner Siebel Newsom spoke with the California Legislative Women’s Caucus about the State’s efforts to protect reproductive freedom.
- January 2024: The Reproductive Freedom Alliance, led by Governor Newsom, filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Food and Drug Administration, et al., v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, arguing that, if the Court allowed the Fifth Circuit’s decision rejecting FDA’s approval of mifepristone to stand, it would undermine Governors’ ability to provide adequate healthcare services and would have far-reaching implications beyond reproductive healthcare. The Supreme Court sided with the FDA in June 2024.
- May 2024: Governor Newsom signed SB 233 with the Legislative Women’s Caucus to allow Arizona abortion providers to temporarily provide abortion care to patients from Arizona who travel to California for care following the Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling to reimpose a regressive 1864 law imposing a near-total abortion ban in their state.
California by the numbers:
Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade:
- Governor Newsom has invested more than $240 million to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in California.
- California providers performed over 12,000 more abortions than expected – seeing an 11.2% increase in the number of abortions performed in June 2023 alone (compared to April 2022).
- 242,113 people have visited Abortion.CA.Gov, with 56.1% of people being from outside of California.
What’s next for California:
Governor Newsom will continue to coordinate and collaborate with the CA Legislature and Reproductive Freedom Alliance states as anti-abortion attacks increase in severity and frequency. The Reproductive Freedom Alliance has held several convenings to facilitate proactive and swift coordination across reproductive freedom states, helping members to put up effective firewalls to protect and expand access to reproductive care.
People seeking abortion care or information about reproductive health care in California, should visit Abortion.CA.Gov.
Source: Office of the Governor
