LA County Board of Supervisors to spread ‘abortion is legal’ message

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to embark on a public outreach campaign aimed at informing people that abortion remains safe, confidential and legal in the county in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The supervisors directed county agencies to work with local organizations to ensure residents are aware that they can receive abortion care in Los Angeles County.

The motion, introduced by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Holly Mitchell, warned that the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal constitutional right to an abortion are “immeasurably dangerous and will be devastating for so many, especially those most vulnerable with the least resources and access to care.”

Immigrants, communities of color and the LGBTQ community are among the groups in which the decision could spread “confusion and fear,” according to the motion.

“It’s important to make sure that there is a media campaign in the languages needed here in L.A. County targeting those communities who are often at the back of the line in terms of understanding what resources are available to them,” Mitchell said.

Abortion had been a constitutional right since 1973 after Roe v. Wade, but the Supreme Court struck down the landmark ruling in June. The all-female Board of Supervisors already voted unanimously in May to approve a pilot project aimed at making the county a safe haven for women seeking abortions and reproductive healthcare. The move came after a draft of the Supreme Court’s decision was leaked to Politico.

“Since we got word of the leaked draft Supreme Court ruling, this board has been doing everything possible to support access to abortion and reproductive care,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said Tuesday, July 12. “Making sure that our county residents know their rights is imperative because there will be a lot of scare tactics and false information put out there.”

–