Northern Californian politicians, residents weigh in on SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade

Michele Chandler Jessica Skropanic Mike Chapman

Redding Record Searchlight

Editor's note: Democrat congressional candidate Max Steiner clarified his remarks later Friday on abortion, saying: "There should be a push for national legislation that guarantees a woman’s right to choose until the third trimester."

The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which eliminates the federal constitutional right to abortion that had existed for nearly 50 years, received mixed reactions in the North State.

Friday's ruling was an answer to prayer, said Paul Henke, coordinator for the anti-abortion organization, 40 Days for Life in Redding.

"It’s our belief there never was a constitutional right to abortion," he said.

But pro-choice supporters expressed concerns as to what the decision could mean for women's health.

"This will not end abortion; it will just kill many thousands of women," said Laurie O'Connell, spokesperson for the Shasta Abortion Coalition and North State Women’s Health Network board member. "Without the ability to determine our own futures, we are second-class citizens and relegated to breeding stock."

The decision will impact women who miscarry — 15% of all pregnancies, O'Connell said. "Hundreds of thousands of women who miscarry and retain tissue require an abortion to save their lives."

More:

For Henke, the ruling didn't go far enough. Putting the decision to legalize or not legalize abortion into states' hands means "unborn lives" will receive protection in some parts of the country, but not all, Henke said.

"Unfortunately, in California, nothing is going to change at this time,” he said.

Approval, criticism lobbed at Planned Parenthood

Gloria Martinez, senior director of operations at Planned Parenthood of Northern California, said the nonprofit is getting expressions of support in the form of notes of thanks for their services.

While protestors remained in place at Planned Parenthood’s clinics as they do every week, Martinez said, the centers have also gotten “an outpouring” of support and appreciation — including from people asking how they can help anyone coming to California from states that prohibit abortions and find themselves in need of assistance with lodging or travel.

Abortion remains legal in California, which is considered a sanctuary state for abortion access.

Since September, when Texas tightened its abortion laws, Planned Parenthood of Northern California's 17 locations have seen about 80 patients from out of state, primarily from Texas as well as Arizona and New Mexico, Martinez said.

Before last fall, Martinez said, “we would probably have one here or there. We have been preparing … to accommodate more out-of-state patients” as abortion has become more difficult to obtain in other states, she said.

Redding’s Planned Parenthood clinic offers only medication-assisted abortion services. In-clinic abortion services are offered at seven other Planned Parenthood centers, including in Chico and Eureka.

Abortion services comprise about 3% of what Planned Parenthood provides, said Martinez. Most patients want contraception or testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases, she said. About 16% of Planned Parenthood patients last year were men.

Redding Women's March organizer Elizabeth Betancourt said she wasn't surprised by the ruling.

“We all knew this was coming, but to hear it as a formal decision felt like a gut punch to me," she said "Something that has been legal our entire lives is no longer a right universally. We’re grateful to be in California, but we know our sisters in other states will be suffering."

What does overturning Roe mean? Breakdown of the Supreme Court's abortion ruling

The majority of Americans believe individuals should have the right to make their own decisions about their own healthcare, Betancourt said.

The court's decision is "another example of the tyranny of the minority in our country," she said. "The right wing of this country values women less than they value their right to firearms.”

Politicians speak out on court's decision

Like most of their constituents, politicians are divided on the issue.

Here's how North State candidates running in the November election reacted on Friday to the watershed decision:

U.S. Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa applauded Friday's announcement.

Primary election results:Doug LaMalfa to face Max Steiner in November runoff for Congress

“Today’s Supreme Court decision repealing Roe is a win for the right to life, for the unborn, and the Constitution,” LaMalfa said.

The congressman said it was a partisan Supreme Court 50 years ago that “created a right to abort a child out of thin air.”

“Overturning Roe does not ban abortion, but rightfully returns the abortion debate back to Congress and state Legislatures,” he continued.

LaMalfa said legislators elected by the people should have the responsibility to create laws and balance tradeoffs, not judges.

“It is past time that the radical Democrat one-party rule stop imposing their immoral and dangerous agenda on the American people,” LaMalfa said.

Max Steiner, LaMalfa’s Democratic opponent for District 1 in the November election, doesn’t agree with the nation’s top court, going as far to say the decision is a disaster.

"It is a disaster for the women who will be forced to turn to dangerous and illegal providers. It is also a disaster for the court, which has shredded 250 years of legitimacy and embraced a new and dangerous role as an openly partisan branch of government," Steiner said.

“This is clearly a Republican Supreme Court and other constitutional rights are going to be on the line unless the Legislature and executive (branch) reassert their constitutional powers,” he said.

One step to restoring abortion rights could be starting the process for a constitutional amendment, Steiner said.

“There should be a push for national legislation that guarantees a woman’s right to choose until the third trimester,” he added. "I do not support an amendment to guarantee third trimester (late-term) abortions."

Women candidates who responded to requests for statements expressed concern over the decision.

Candidate for State Assembly, District 1 Belle Starr Sandwith, said, "Today's decision by the Supreme Court is a tragic setback for women — for humankind,"

Bodily autonomy is our most sacred right, she said. "Giving the government the authority to mandate health decisions is not democracy. It is extremist radical theology written into law."

Calls and emails to Assemblywoman Megan Dahle and state Senator Brian Dahle were not returned Friday.