State Rep. Anne Hughes (D-Easton/Redding/Weston) has joined with hundreds of legislators nationwide in support of reproductive health, rights, and justice.
With help and support from the State Innovation Exchange Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council, Hughes and a network of state legislators, organized an amicus brief in support of legal abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson, Mississippi Women’s Health Organization. Dobbs is a Supreme Court case likely to decide the future of reproductive freedom in the United States. Signed by 897 state legislators — including Hughes — the brief is the strongest show of support by state legislators on nationwide legal abortion.
“It is both timely and harrowing, that as we mark one year since the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we fiercely summon our collective will and power to defend women’s reproductive health and protect the right to safe and legal abortion throughout our country, as Ruth did until her death,” said Hughes. “This case challenging Roe v. Wade will be heard before the Supreme Court on Dec. 1 and I am proud to join so many of my legislative colleagues across the nation in this Amicus Brief. We must mobilize locally and throughout the state to stop this infringement on women’s’ reproductive rights granted nearly 50 years ago by the Roe v. Wade decision.”
The Mississippi law in question banned abortion services after 15 weeks of pregnancy — well before the 24-week precedent established by Roe v. Wade. Despite numerous lower court rulings that the law is blatantly unconstitutional, the Supreme Court agreed to hold oral arguments to determine whether all pre-viability abortion bans are constitutional. In the amicus brief, state legislators argue that the Court’s failure to uphold the rule of law and precedent would result in disastrous consequences for women seeking abortions, as well as for their families.
Arguments in Dobbs v. Women’s Health Organization come on the heels of Texas enacting a law that effectively bans all abortions in the state after six weeks of pregnancy. In addition, the law emboldens any citizen to surveil and harass virtually anyone under vigilante claims of noncompliance.
According to a recent Data for Progress poll, public sentiment supports keeping Roe intact, with 60% in favor and 23% against.
Note: Rep. Hughes is coordinating a Women’s March rally on Oct. 2 in her district.
