Delaware remains in the middle when it comes to abortion laws. There are some hurdles such as mandatory counseling and a 24-hour waiting period, though the state isn't as restrictive as places like Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, or the Dakotas,
according to NARAL Pro-Choice America.
As with all states, Delaware legislators on both sides passionately debated the issue before enacting laws. Here are some quotes:
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"A woman's right to choose has been settled law for more than 40 years, and yet that right continues to come under attack. Women's reproductive health choices should be between them and their doctors, and politicians should not be standing in the way. Congress should ensure that women and families have access to safe and affordable reproductive health care, no matter their income level or where they live. We need to remain vigilant about protecting the rights of women and their families to make their own private health care decisions, and to ensure accessible and affordable reproductive care for Delawareans and all Americans."
— Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware), in a statement introducing a bill with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) in January to remove restrictions on access to abortion services. The Women's Health Protection Act would force states to regulate abortion providers in the same manner as other clinics.
"(E)xpanding access to contraceptives is one of the best ways we can reduce unwanted pregnancies. If we really want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, one of the most proven ways is by making contraceptive coverage more readily available. In fact, studies have shown that increasing access to contraception coverage reduces abortion rates by up to 78 percent."
— Sen. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) in a statement in reaction to the 2014 Supreme Court ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby craft stores, which allowed for private companies to deny offering birth-control procedures to its employees — as mandated under the Health and Human Services Mandate of the Affordable Care Act — based on religious beliefs.
"We've watched the tentacles of big government weasel their way into every part of our lives. Bureaucrats and politicians in Washington think they should decide what kind of light bulb we use, what kind of toilets we flush, what kind of car we drive. They'll buy your teenage daughter an abortion, but they won't let her buy a sugary soda in a school's vending machine."
— Christine O'Donnell, ABC News, during her 2010 run for Senate as a Tea Party candidate
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"Women facing an unintended pregnancy must have access to safe, legal abortion services without interference from government. Access to abortion is legal, constitutionally protected and consistently supported by a majority of Americans; yet opponents of reproductive rights have made it increasingly hard for women to access needed care."
— Pro-Choice Delaware on its website
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