Protecting Our Rights State by State: How Oregon’s Newest Law is a Win for Reproductive Freedom
Kaylie Hanson Long, Communications Director
In an exciting victory for Oregonian women and families, this week Gov. Kate Brown from Oregon signed the historic Reproductive Health Equity Act into law. Standing alone, this landmark legislation makes reproductive healthcare more affordable and accessible for women across the state. But on a national level, this bill isn’t an isolated incident: it’s the latest move by grassroots activists — the very people who make up our membership at NARAL — who are working quickly to protect women from an administration hellbent on fulfilling its anti-choice agenda.
When Donald Trump was inaugurated, women across the country expressed deep concern — and rightfully so — about the future of their basic family planning services. Trump and his GOP allies have made no secret of their plans to restrict access to birth control and abortion. From trying to defund Planned Parenthood, to attempting to dismantle birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to appointing extreme anti-choice judges to our nation’s court system: our rights have never felt more under attack.
The Republican threats to our basic reproductive healthcare are numerous. But our members are doing everything they can to make sure these threats do not become our reality.
Local legislators in states all over the country have been working quickly to enshrine reproductive freedom into law, no matter what the GOP tries to pull at a national level. Just in the last six months, governors in states like Nevada and Delaware have signed bills to protect no-copay birth control or codify the legal right to abortion into state law in case Roe v. Wade is overturned.
The most recent success story of legislators fighting against Trump’s anti-choice agenda on a state level is the Reproductive Health Equity Act in Oregon. After months of groundwork by pro-choice legislators and the Pro-Choice Coalition of Oregon, including NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, RHEA was signed into law on August 15th.
The Reproductive Health Equity Act is historic in many ways. First, RHEA officially codifies the legal right to abortion in Oregon for the first time in state history. That means that if Donald Trump gets his way and Roe v. Wade is overturned, it will remain law of the land in Oregon, preserving the right to choose for millions of women in the state. Second, the bill eliminates the financial barriers that Oregonians face with their family planning services. RHEA protects the “no-copay coverage” for birth control benefit of the ACA, and removes barriers to preventive reproductive healthcare and abortion services for women who have high-deductible policies.
Our NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon activists, allies, state legislators, and especially Gov. Kate Brown deserve our thanks for working double time to sign this bill into law. When it comes to proactive steps to stand up for women and families in anticipation of draconian policy from the White House or the GOP-controlled Congress, RHEA is the latest win — and we hope it won’t be the last.
Champions for reproductive freedom are working tirelessly across the country in their own states to stand up for women and families. NARAL and our million-plus members look forward to fighting alongside the next effort to safeguard our rights against regressive Trump era policies.
