Despite California’s reputation for being relaxed and laid-back, discussion over abortion laws has at times sparked strong feelings and heated debate in the Golden State.
Here are some quotes from both sides of that issue:
“I'm surprised that supporters of abortion would think this is a good move. They are lessening the medical requirements for someone who can do an abortion. That does nothing to promote safety or to protect women's health.”
— Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle in April 2012 after the introduction of proposed legislation that would make California the fifth state to allow nurses, midwives and physician’s assistants to perform certain first trimester abortions.
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“I am pleased to introduce legislation that will increase the number of trained professionals who are permitted to perform early abortions and I look forward to discussing the bill with my colleagues as the bill moves through the legislative process.”
— California Assemblywoman Toni Atkins on her website in January 2013 as California lawmakers prepared to consider her proposal renewing the attempt to allow nurses, midwives and physician’s assistants to perform certain first-trimester abortions.
“Permitting nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwife or physician assistants to perform abortions is dangerous for women and has nothing to do with ‘women’s health.’ It’s truly disheartening and disingenuous that Governor Brown and Legislative Democrats created a law to lower the standard of care for the women under the guise of creating ‘access.’”
— California Assemblyman Brian Jones, quoted by East County Magazine in October 2013 after Gov. Jerry Brown signed Atkins’ proposal into law.
“The bill is intended to address the shortage of abortion providers that leads to burdensome travel requirements and long wait times for women, who can end up requiring a more complicated and expensive procedure if too much time passes.”
— Atkins, quoted by East County Magazine in October 2013 after Brown signed her proposal.
“We will never know how many women were damaged by this decision.”
— Patricia Bellasalma, the California president of NOW, quoted in June 2013 by the Los Angeles Times after Hoag Hospital Newport Beach affiliated with a Catholic healthcare system and stopped providing elective abortions.
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“We respect the people and points of view in our community, and it is unfortunate that a decision made with the community’s best interest in mind has been misrepresented as part of a larger political agenda. It simply is not.”
— Nina Robinson, spokeswoman for Hoag Hospital, quoted in June 2013 in the Los Angeles Times.
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