TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with City Attorney to draft a letter of support for the California state legislature’s proposal to place permanent protections for abortion rights into the California Constitution.
DISCUSSION
INTRODUCTION:
On Monday May 2, 2022 news broke that the U.S. Supreme Court appeared poised to overturn the nation’s landmark abortion rights law established in the 1973 decision in Roe vs. Wade. An amendment to the state Constitution would require voter approval. Few details on the effort were immediately available, though the process requires little more than a supermajority vote in both legislative houses to get on the Nov. 8 statewide ballot.
The Long Beach City Council has taken an active role in protecting reproductive rights most recently with action seeking to work in coordination with Planned Parenthood on how to partner with Los Angeles County in the event that Roe v. Wade were to be overturned by the Supreme Court.
With the urgent need to protect women’s reproductive rights as the established case law is under threat, the City Council should act swiftly to support a state constitutional amendment.
STATEMENT OF URGENCY:
Support for the State of California’s proposal to amend the state constitution should occur urgently to protect the reproductive rights of women in California
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
No Financial Management review was able to be conducted due to the urgency and time sensitivity of this item.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
SUZIE PRICE, COUNCILWOMAN
THIRD DISTRICT
CINDY ALLEN, COUNCILWOMAN
SECOND DISTRICT
SUELY SARO, COUNCILWOMAN
SIXTH DISTRICT