JULY 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 17
POINT OF VIEW
NONSTOP BANS
WE’RE FIGHTING BACK
By JOANN D. SMITH
President & CEO of Planned Parenthood
of Nassau County
Abortion access is hanging on by a
thread. And as Long Islanders, while
we can be thankful that the passage of
the Reproductive Health Act protects
reproductive rights in our state, we
cannot and will not sit back while
other states cut off access to care for
millions.
Recently, the Missouri Department
of Health & Senior Services (DOSS)
announced its plan to revoke the license
of the last remaining abortion
care provider in the state, a Planned
Parenthood in St. Louis, potentially
denying 1.1 million Missouri women
of reproductive age access to safe and
legal abortion. The reasons the DOSS
cited for revocation lacked medical
merit.
Essentially, this measure sought to
weaponize the Department of Health
& Senior Services by using “licensing”
as a tool to circumvent legislative
action. However, just hours before
being shut down, thanks to a lawsuit
filed by Planned Parenthood, a judge
ruled that the state could continue
providing abortions until the full
license review is completed.
But Missouri is not alone; it’s one of
many states passing extreme abortion
restrictions and bans across
America. To date, abortion bans have
also been passed in Alabama, Georgia,
Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi and
Louisiana. Many of these laws do not
include exceptions for rape or incest
survivors. Others would jail doctors
for offering care.
In 2019 alone, as of June 14, 303 bills
restricting abortion care have been
filed in 47 states, 135 of which are
bans in some or all circumstances.
Ninety percent of U.S. counties lack
a provider of abortion care. Six states
have only one provider.
These are dark times, indeed.
Make no mistake — these attacks are
part of a coordinated plan by those
opposed to safe and legal abortion to
overturn Roe v. Wade.
Here at Planned Parenthood of Nassau
County, along with our national
office and sister affiliates, we are
fighting back in the courts, on the
streets, and across social media. If
there were ever a time to stand up
for what you believe, it’s now.
Stand up for the thousands of patients
that depend upon Planned Parenthood
in your neighborhood. Stand
up, because we need you like never
before.
“If there were ever a time to stand up
for what you believe, it’s now.”
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