Editor’s note: The Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24. (Read our coverage here.) Abortions remain legal in Pennsylvania as of July 2022. We’d still like to hear your thoughts and stories about abortion rights and restrictions. Please use the form below!
Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land since 1973, establishing the right to end a pregnancy. A May 2 POLITICO report, however, shared a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would strike down the nearly 50-year-old law.
What does that mean for Pennsylvania? Gov. Tom Wolf, a clear supporter of abortion rights, has said he would support abortion access by vetoing anti-abortion bills. But in recent months, he said that likely wouldn’t be enough without the federal protection from Roe v. Wade. Not to mention that Wolf will leave office in early 2023.
[What does that mean for you? Share your story with us. See form below for more details.]
Nearly two dozen states are anticipated to ban or severely restrict abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group in favor of abortion rights.
The percent of women who may drive to Pennsylvania for abortion care following a total ban in nearby states is expected to grow by more than 1,000%, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Members of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly have pushed forward six different anti-abortion bills since 2016, which have remained unsuccessful, though three made it to Wolf’s desk.
Should Pennsylvania elect a Republican governor in 2022, it’s possible the commonwealth would see more restrictive laws enacted.
PublicSource wants to explore how women, womxn and families are being impacted by the looming Supreme Court decision and governor’s race. We understand that this can be a deeply personal discussion, but we also believe there’s power in sharing your perspective and in elevating the voices of those with direct experiences.
We want to hear from you about abortion rights and restrictions in PA.
Read more: How PA could be impacted by the SCOTUS ruling
Originally published March 3, 2022. Updated May 3, 2022.
Jourdan Hicks is PublicSource’s senior community correspondent. She can be reached at Jourdan@publicsource.org or on Facebook @Jourdan Hicks.
TyLisa C. Johnson is the audience engagement editor for PublicSource. She can be reached at tylisa@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @tylisawrites.
