In the wake of last Fridayâs Supreme Court decision scrapping Roe v. Wade, weâre taking a look at the state of affairs for abortion access locally, where Portland and Oregon elected officials and candidates stand and how you can get involved if youâre concerned about the ruling. Weâve got everything summed up below.
đ The decision: On June 24, six weeks after someone leaked a draft of the decision to POLITICO, six of the Supreme Courtâs nine justices struck down Roe v. Wade in their ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womenâs Health Organization. The case had challenged Mississippiâs 15-week abortion ban. Though Chief Justice John Roberts joined the majority in their judgment, he called the Dobbs decision a âserious jolt to the legal system.â The courtâs three liberal-leaning justices deplored the decision in their dissent, decrying its impact on Americans and the courtâs reputation.
đŹ What elected officials say: Portland mayor Ted Wheeler affirmed the cityâs support for abortion and said he had âdirected the Portland Police Bureau to increase patrols around local reproductive health providers to ensure they are able to continue operating safely during this time.â Other officials chimed in as well, with councilor Jo Anne Hardesty saying, âI have been fighting for these rights my whole life and am not about to stop now.â Oregonâs House Republican leader, meanwhile, applauded SCOTUS for the âdecision to return this issue back to the states.â
đł Where the candidates stand: Republican Senate candidate Jo Rae Perkins has not weighed in on the issue since the Dobbs ruling but claims to be â100% Pro-Life.â Sen. Ron Wyden, whoâs up for reelection in November, decried the decision. In the gubernatorial race, Democrat Tina Kotek called the decision âbullshit,â and independent Betsy Johnson affirmed her support for abortion access in less searing terms. Republican nominee Christine Drazan called Oregonâs current laws âextremeâ and vowed to row back any expansion of abortion access.
đ Current law says: Abortion is legal in Oregon, and the stateâs laws do not place restrictions such as waiting periods on those seeking the procedure. The stateâs Reproductive Health Equity Act codified and expanded access to free reproductive healthcare in 2017. A ballot measure seeking to ban public funding of abortions in Oregon was soundly defeated by voters in 2018.
đ Whoâs helping on the ground: The Northwest Abortion Access Fund serves Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska and helps people who need an abortion in a variety of ways. The Cascades Abortion Support Collective and Planned Parentood Columbia Wilamette are both accepting donations to support work around abortion access.