About the Issues
Court Reform
Courts play a crucial role in safeguarding our constitutional rights, but recent developments show a concerning trend. Federal courts, instead of protecting our freedoms, have been eroding our control over our lives, bodies, and futures.
Anti-abortion politicians have strategically appointed judges to the federal court with the intention of limiting access to safe and legal abortion, hindering other health care options like birth control, suppressing voting rights, and impacting essential rights.
Local Impact: City of Fontana
For over a year, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties has tirelessly worked to obtain construction permits for a new health center in Fontana. Despite their efforts, they have faced continuous resistance from the city council, culminating in a discriminatory moratorium on building permits that exclusively targets Planned Parenthood while exempting other businesses, some linked to City Council members. In December, our local Planned Parenthood stood up for patients and the community by filing a lawsuit against the city. This unjustified moratorium violates residents' rights to abortion, contraception, and reproductive healthcare access under California Constitution Article 1, Section 1.1, established by Prop 1 in November 2022. These obstructionist actions are driven by personal biases and not grounded in the needs of the community. The Fontana City Council's decision turns its back on its constituents, actively contributing to the denial of healthcare access to its citizens. With each month the City Council blocks Planned Parenthood, over 2,000 medical visits go unattended.
The Current State of Abortion Access
For years, anti-abortion rights politicians have made promises to appoint judges and justices who are hostile to abortion rights. Using their political power, these politicians have manipulated nomination rules to ensure that the Supreme Court is now dominated by justices who hold such views. This shift in the Court's composition had a significant impact on June 24, 2022, when the Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case challenging a Mississippi ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. The ruling effectively overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal constitutional right to abortion in the United States. Consequently, one in three women now lives in states where abortion access is severely limited or non-existent. In the months following the ruling, 18 states have implemented abortion bans or severe restrictions, with more states actively pursuing similar measures. These bans disproportionately harm Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other communities of color, exacerbating existing barriers to healthcare and opportunities caused by systemic racism.
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