Ruling goes against nearly 50 years of precedent
SAN FRANCISCO (June 24, 2022) — City Attorney David Chiu issued the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion in a ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The ruling overturns decisions in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and runs afoul of nearly 50 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent. As a result of today’s decision, abortion rights and accessibility will be determined on a state-by-state basis.
“This is a very dark day for our country and our Constitution.
For 50 years, the United States has protected the right to choose and has seen great social and economic progress as a result.
Today, the Court moves our country backwards with a decision that is out-of-step with how a majority of Americans feel. Women will die as a result of this decision, and it is disturbing that six Justices don’t seem to understand or care about that reality. This decision will no doubt have a disproportionate impact on low-income women and women of color.
A rollback of reproductive rights is usually associated with backsliding democracies and authoritarian governments. This moment should serve as an ominous warning for us all.
I know San Francisco and California will do everything possible to be a safe haven for people seeking abortions, and I will use the full power of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office to protect reproductive freedoms at every turn.
Last month, along with the Bar Association of San Francisco and major law firms across California, my Office announced a new initiative called the Legal Alliance for Reproductive Rights that will look for ways to affirmatively protect the right to choose and leverage pro-bono legal services to defend people seeking or providing abortion care. I encourage legal communities across the country to create similar initiatives and join us in the fight.”
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