CITY
OF
OAKLAND
CITY HALL
•
1 FRANK H. OGAWA PLAZA •
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
94612
#LoveLife
REBECCA KAPLAN
NIKKI FORTUNATO BAS
SHENG THAO
CARROLL FIFE
Vice Mayor
Council President
President Pro Tem
Councilmember D3
Date: September 7, 2022To: Members of City Council and Members of the PublicFrom: Vice Mayor Kaplan, Council President Fortunato Bas, President Pro Tem Sheng Thao,and Councilmember FifeRe: Resolution In Support Of California State Proposition1, The ReproductiveFreedom Amendment Dear Colleagues on the City Council and Members of the Public, OnJune24,2022,in a historicandfar-reachingdecision,Dobbsv. JacksonWomen’s HealthOrganization, theU.S.SupremeCourtreversedRoev. Wade, whichguaranteedthefederalconstitutionalprotectionofabortionrights.Witha subsequentwaveofrestrictionsandbansonabortionsinstatesthroughouttheUS,Oaklandhaspushedbackagainsttheseregressivepolicies,declaringOaklandaRight-To-ChooseSanctuaryCityinResolutionNo.89201CMS. Onceagain,wearetakingastandbysharingourferventsupportofProposition1, whichwouldenshrinetheright to an abortion and contraceptives in the California State Constitution.
TheSupremeCourtrollbackona woman'srighttochoosetohaveanabortionhasreverberatedacrossthecounty, bothgalvanizingcommunitiestodenouncethedecisionandenergizingotherstoimposestrictlimitationsonindividualsseekinganabortion.Sincethereversal,morethan20stateshaverestrictedaccessto abortions,imposingcriminalsanctionson individualsreceivingorperforminganabortion.Insomecases,stateshavealsoimposedciviloffensesagainstanypersonwho aids or abets a person who is receiving an abortion.
Reproductivefreedomisintertwinedwithmanyissuesofsocialjusticesuchaseconomic,gender,andracialequity;therefore,a strongsupportsystemforreproductivefreedommeasuresensurespeopleofallbackgroundshaveaccessto thecaretheyneed.We knowaccesstoreproductivehealthcareshouldnotdependonyourzipcode,andpeopleshouldbeabletoaccessreproductivehealth care without medically unnecessary barriers or restrictions.
Proposition1,whichwillbevotedonintheNovember2022election,willallowindividualsandfamiliesto continuetohavethefreedomtodeterminewhatisbestforthemandtheirfamilies,givingpeopletheabilityto plantheirlivesandmakeimportantreproductivedecisionswithoutgovernmentinterference.By expresslystatingtherightto chooseto havean abortionis afundamentalrightintheCaliforniaConstitution,Proposition1willprotectagainstpotentialfutureattacksatthefederallevelanderosionofthoserightsbythecourtsandlegislatures.Westronglyurge your support for this legislation. City CouncilSeptember 7, 2022File # 22-0681 1