Senate Leader Atkins Responds to SCOTUS Abortion Rights Decision: California Will Not Leave People Vulnerable to the Tyranny of a Loud Minority
SACRAMENTO –Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) released the following statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organizations, which overrules federal constitutional protections regarding the right to abortion:
“I share the searing fury felt by the majority of Americans who are angry and scared for what this Supreme Court decision means—for the lives of their daughters, granddaughters, and loved ones. For the lives of everyone who will be left without options as a result of this regressive decision. With this ruling, the Supreme Court has turned its back on safety and equality. But in California, those values remain firmly rooted. Here, pregnant individuals and their families will always be entitled to dignity, understanding, and reproductive choice.
“During my time running a women’s health clinic, I saw firsthand what lack of access meant. I listened to and learned from a distraught mother whose daughter died after an illegal abortion, and helped women understand all of their options when they thought they had none. We will not be shoved back into the dark days of desperate decisions. Abortion is health care and the decision to have one lies solely with the patient. California will not leave people vulnerable to the tyranny of a loud minority.”
###
Toni G. Atkins is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. Having previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly, she began her tenure in the Senate in 2016. As Senator for District 39, she represents the cities of San Diego, Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Website of President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins: www.senate.ca.gov/Atkins