NBCSL Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Historic Roe V. Wade Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NBCSL released the following statement regarding the overturning of the historic Roe v. Wade case:

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade ends nearly 50 years of federal abortion rights—no longer offering women the protection needed make choices regarding their own bodies.

“We are disappointed by this Supreme Court decision, which unfortunately has taken us steps back in the fight for women’s rights,” said President Billy Mitchell, “The Supreme Court has done an extreme disservice to every woman in this country by not protecting them and their right to an abortion.”

Because of the 6-3 Supreme Court decision, almost half of states are expected to ban or enact strict abortion laws. Some states however planned to maintain more lenient laws in the termination of pregnancies.  This decision did not take into account the women who reside in underserved, poverty-stricken, or rural areas. Many of the women that our legislators represent will become heavily impacted by this ruling and could potentially put some of them in our communities in great danger.

“The Supreme Court overturning has left me saddened at the state of our democracy,” said Representative Laura Hall (AL), NBCSL President-Elect, “The overturning of this monumental case has revealed that the leaders of our nation hold no regard for women’s rights and their ability to make choices when it comes to their own bodies. We have indeed set the clocks back some 50 years on women’s rights,” she said.

“The Supreme Court just reset the clock on women’s constitutional rights to 1972. This decision puts the lives of women in imminent danger by handing politicians control over our most personal healthcare decisions, said Senator Raumesh Akbari (TN), NBCSL Executive Committee Member, “This is a stunning reversal of a decades-long expansion of our personal privacy rights, and, it’s disgraceful because it will not affect every American equally. Men’s reproductive liberties are completely untouched and protected,” she continued.

As this new horizon is among us, NBCSL will continue to stand with women. We will speak up for women and fight to protect their rights in our different legislative bodies.

                                                                                                             ###