Sacramento (September 15, 2022) – Today, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Greg Sarris and Bay Area physician Dr. Seema Sidhu joined in support of Proposition 1, which will explicitly add the right to an abortion to the California State Constitution. The three focused on the need for communities of color, including those in the Native American community, to have access to essential health care such as abortion and contraception.
“Extremists across the country are working to strip away our rights – starting with abortion and access to contraception,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. “Unfortunately, we’re already seeing the devastating impact abortion restrictions and bans are having throughout the nation, putting the most vulnerable at risk. Proposition 1 will add the right to an abortion directly into our State Constitution, ensuring that our reproductive freedoms are protected.”
“It is most important to the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria that all women, particularly indigenous women and all low-income and women of color, continue to have sovereign rights over their bodies and access to all existing health care available to them,” stated Greg Sarris, Tribal Chairman, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
“As a physician, I know how important it is for personal medical decisions – including abortion – to be made between a person and their provider,” said Seema Sidhu, MD, Board Trustee of the California Medical Association. “Proposition 1 will protect access to abortion for the most vulnerable among us and ensure that they receive the care they need and deserve.”
Although California law provides meaningful protections for reproductive rights against state interference, the recent opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court highlights how California will no longer be able to rely on long-standing federal protections. Expressly stating a fundamental right to abortion in the state constitution will protect against potential future attacks at the federal level and from courts down the line. Additionally, the opinion previews how the Court plans to erode privacy principles under the U.S. Constitution, which protects some of our most basic civil rights.
Along with their endorsement, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have committed a $5 million contribution to the Yes on Prop 1 campaign. For a full list of endorsing organizations please visit the Proposition 1 website.