Proposition 1 is on the ballot this November and it would enshrine the fundamental right to reproductive freedom for all individuals in the California Constitution, including the right to choose to have an abortion and the right to choose or refuse contraceptives.

 

According to CalMatters, “there is already a right to privacy guaranteed in the California Constitution, but it is not explicitly defined. Historically, the language has been understood to preserve reproductive rights, including through a decision by the California Supreme Court. Abortion and contraceptive access were later expressly protected in state law.”However, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal right to abortion, there were concerns expressed that future legal interpretations and/or future partisan shifts in control of the California State Legislature could undermine these protections. In response to these concerns, state lawmakers passed SCA 10, which was supported by NextGen and placed Proposition 1 on the November ballot, allowing California voters to decide the extent to which reproductive health care will be a constitutional right in California.

 

This November, the right for people to make their own medical choices is on the ballot in California. Proposition 1 would enshrine the right to both abortion and contraception in our state constiution, ensuring that California is a safe haven for access to reproductive care.