New Report Shows States Increasing Restrictions on Women's Access to Birth Control

New Report Shows States Increasing Restrictions on Women's Right to Choose and Access to Birth Control; Access Threatened in 38 States if Roe vs. Wade is Overturned - Nation's Overall Grade Falls to D minus

1/13/2005 2:10:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Ted Miller of NARAL Pro-Choice America, 202-973-3034

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- NARAL Pro-Choice America, the nation's leading advocate of personal privacy and a woman's right to choose, released the 14th annual edition of its publication Who Decides? The Status of Women's Reproductive Rights in the United States.

With President Bush poised to name activists to fill likely vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court, the report's findings indicate that, if Roe vs. Wade were overturned, 19 states would quickly outlaw abortion, while another 19 could follow closely behind. In 2004 alone, state legislatures considered 714 anti- choice measuresan increase of 28 percent over the previous year's figure.

"State legislators are continuing to chip away at women's freedomand they are prepared to go much further if George Bush succeeds in his goal of overturning Roe vs. Wade," said NARAL Pro- Choice America President Nancy Keenan. "Americans oppose this push from the President and state legislatures to take over women's private medical decisions and restrict access to birth control, including the morning-after pill. That's why Americans are going to stand up to these threats to women's reproductive health services from the White House and state legislatures."

The report grades each state and the District of Columbia on women's reproductive rights and summarizes related state laws. It includes new sections citing key findings and political trends, including the following items:

-- Michigan enacted a near-total ban on abortions even in the early stages, the most far-reaching restriction on the right to choose by a state in more than 10 years. It is set to take effect in March and is certain to face a legal challenge that could well end up in the Supreme Court.

-- A bill banning abortions throughout pregnancy failed by one vote in the South Dakota Senate. As a result of the recent elections, the bill is expected to pass this year.

-- There are only four states where both the majority of the legislature and the governor are pro-choice: Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and Washington.

The report is made available through NARAL Pro-Choice America. The report and additional up-to-the minute information can be found at http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/whodecides.

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