Four States That Are Actually Working to Protect Abortion Rights
As states move to enact hundreds of abortion restrictions, and fights over taxpayer funding for abortion derail bipartisan policy initiatives on Capitol Hill, it can be hard to see any progress in this area. But beyond the headlines, there’s a quiet effort underway to reclaim the conversation.
More lawmakers than ever before are standing up to fight for reproductive rights, helping to pioneer a growing state movement to push for proactive legislation to safeguard abortion access. After decades of playing defense on issues related to abortion, pro-choice politicians are starting to take a more aggressive approach.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, there was a noticeable shift in this area during the 2014 session, when “legislators quickly showed a clear interest in protecting or expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care.” Even in states like New York, where lawmakers have been split over advancing provisions related to abortion, there’s momentum toward working on other areas of gender equality and reproductive health care.
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