ATLANTA – State Representative Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta) and 57 members of the Georgia General Assembly recently signed an amicus brief in support of legal abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider. The amicus brief was signed by 897 state legislators from across the country, including the 58 legislators from Georgia. According to the SiX, this amicus brief has the highest number of signers across the country and represents the strongest recorded display of state legislators supporting legal abortion nationwide.
“Texas is showing us what a world without Roe v. Wade looks like – one where wealthier people can travel to get reproductive care while poorer people are stripped of their rights,” said Rep. Schofield. “We can’t let that happen. I am proud to join my fellow Georgia legislators in this fight.”
The amicus brief was organized by the State Innovation Exchange’s (SiX) Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council, which is a network of state legislators working to advance reproductive health, rights and justice.
The Mississippi law at the heart of the case prohibits abortion services after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Lower courts have ruled that the law was unconstitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hold oral arguments to determine whether all pre-viability abortion bans are constitutional. In their amicus brief, the state legislators argue that the court’s failure to uphold the rule of law and Roe v. Wade precedent would negatively impact women seeking abortions and their families. These legislators are also concerned that the future U.S. Supreme Court ruling could allow Georgia to enforce laws that prohibit an abortion operation once a fetal heartbeat has been determined by a doctor, which is typically decided at six weeks of gestational age.
“State legislators are the first line of defense against policies that deliberately roll back progress on abortion rights and reproductive health across the country, and the overwhelming majority of the public agrees we must protect Roe v. Wade,” said Jennifer Driver, SiX’s Senior Director of Reproductive Rights. “With this amicus brief, nearly 900 legislators are sending the Supreme Court a clear message: we cannot go back. You must uphold 50 years of legal abortion in all 50 states.”
According to a recent Data for Progress poll, 60 percent of respondents were in favor of keeping the Roe v. Wade precedent in place, and 23 percent were against the precedent. Additionally, the poll results highlight a two-to-one margin that voters strongly disapprove allowing citizens to sue individuals they suspect of helping someone get an abortion. The poll results can be found here.
Representative Kim Schofield represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017 and currently serves on the Health & Human Services, Interstate Cooperation, Information and Audits and Small Business Development committees.
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