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Gov. Wes Moore (D) joined governors from 19 states across the U.S. in a new Reproductive Freedom Alliance to safeguard and improve abortion and reproductive health care access 鈥渋n the face of an unprecedented assault by states hostile to abortion rights,鈥� according to a joint statement.
The formation of the alliance, led by California Gov. Gavin 草莓传媒om, was announced Tuesday.
The announcement represents another divide in the country鈥檚 ongoing debate in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 June decision to effectively overturn Roe v. Wade and a constitutional right to abortion care. Eighteen states have either completely banned abortion or restricted it to patients who are between six and 20 weeks pregnant, while the procedure remains legal in 26 states. Six states are trying to institute bans that are blocked or under consideration by courts.
Several of the states that signed on to the alliance 鈥� including Illinois, Oregon and New Mexico 鈥� border states with abortion bans, and Wisconsin鈥檚 governor, Tony Evers, joined the coalition despite the fact that his state has a聽聽in place based on an 1849 law with no exceptions for rape or incest. Evers has filed a lawsuit challenging the 174-year-old statute.
鈥淓very Wisconsinite should have the right to make their own reproductive health care decisions without interference from politicians,鈥� Evers said in the news release. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a right I鈥檒l never stop fighting for as long as I鈥檓 governor 鈥� not just because it鈥檚 the right thing to do, but because it鈥檚 the will of the people. Reproductive health care is health care, and I鈥檓 proud to join my fellow governors in continuing the fight to restore Roe and reproductive rights for every person in Wisconsin and across the country.鈥�
Moore, in a statement on Tuesday, said he supports bills pending in the Maryland General Assembly that 鈥渨ill protect abortion access, privacy, and out-of-state patients,鈥� including a bill from House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) that would enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution.
鈥淚 am proud to stand with other governors in the fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom. While some states have decided to move toward restricting women鈥檚 rights, I can assure you that here in Maryland, we will protect them,鈥� Moore said.
Jones鈥� bill received a hearing Tuesday afternoon at the House Health and Government Operations Committee.
The measure would ask state voters in 2024 to amend the Maryland Constitution to include a new amendment that says every person 鈥渉as the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including but not limited to the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end one鈥檚 own pregnancy.鈥�
Jones said the Supreme Court鈥檚 June decision left Maryland鈥檚 existing law guaranteeing the right to abortion vulnerable, unless it is recast as a constitutional right which would 鈥渆nsure that the right to reproductive freedom can never be chipped away or used as a bargaining chip.鈥�
鈥淣early half of the states in the nation are positioned to ban or heavily restrict abortion including our neighbor, West Virginia. It makes Maryland health care providers targets for overzealous out-of-state organizations and prosecutors. They will use every tool at their disposal to close our providers and restrict access to health care,鈥� Jones said.
The measure attracted an hour of opposition testimony in committee; similar legislation passed the House of Delegates last year, but stalled in the Maryland Senate.
鈥楩irewall鈥� for reproductive rights
Much of the funding for the 20-state governors鈥� alliance will be provided by the, with additional support from the, a California-based philanthropic organization. That funding will be used for logistical purposes to support collaboration between the offices and coordinate actions such as executive or administrative orders, health and human services-related directives, budgetary requests and reproductive-related legislation.
The alliance will also serve as a resource for governors and their staff members to share best practices for their own constituents and those who live in states with bans or restrictions, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
鈥淐alifornia has long been a leader in reproductive rights, but we can鈥檛 do it alone. We have gathered a coalition of bipartisan governors to commit to reproductive freedom, and a coalition this size 鈥� 20 and counting 鈥� has never been done before,鈥� 草莓传媒om said in the news release. 鈥淭his alliance is a moral obligation to what is right and will stand as a firewall to fight for and protect providers, patients, and all who are affected by these attacks on fundamental rights.鈥�
Other members of the alliance are: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis,聽Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Delaware Gov. John Carney, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee, and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
While only Democrats have signed on so far, the coalition is nonpartisan, according to 草莓传媒om鈥檚 news release, and the alliance welcomes other governors to join.
鈥淒efending reproductive freedom is a racial justice issue,鈥� said Tim Silard, president of the Rosenberg Foundation. 鈥淭he foundation is committed to reimagining policies and systems to win fundamental rights, protections, and opportunities for Black, brown and immigrant communities. We are proud to join with Gov. 草莓传媒om and our colleagues in philanthropy in the fight to protect reproductive rights and access in California and across the country.鈥�
