The landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade today was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, but Nevada groups are already reminding people abortion remains legal in the Silver State.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a separate but concurring opinion to overturn Roe. He suggested protections for same-sex marriage and birth control could also be overturned in the future.
“For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” he wrote.
Outrage followed the release of the ruling.
“This decision is devastating,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said.
The ACLU of Nevada issued a statement reminding that abortion, due to voter-approved inititaive and state law, will likely not change in Nevada for pregnancies up to 24 weeks. A vote of the people could change that, however.
“Abortion access here in Nevada may be safe for now, but extremists have made it clear that they will work to ban abortion nationwide. None of our rights or liberties are secure in the face of a Supreme Court that would reverse Roe,” the ACLU’s Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said.
Northern Nevadans, upon the release of a draft ruling leaked in May, held three separate demonstrations decrying the change to Roe v. Wade.
Attorney General Aaron Ford said at the time people can come to Nevada for abortions.
“What we will not do is punish people who come to Nevada to seek medical care,” he said.
Ford today tweeted the following statement: “We suffered a major loss today, and this is a dark day for our country — but I will continue to be on the frontlines of this fight and will NEVER back down from upholding access to abortion in Nevada.”
However, there are few abortion providers in the state, and half of the states could ban abortions in the wake of today’s ruling. That could further strain the ability for people to get abortions even in states where it will remain legal.
“This decision could also lead to pregnancy losses being subject to suspicion, investigation, and arrest, and patients and doctors being thrown in jail,” the ACLU’s Haseebullah added.
Silver State Equality, Nevada’s LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, issued a statement from its Director André Wade.
“Make no mistake, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade today is not the end game. If this right can be taken away, other rights are at risk,” he said. “There is a Supreme Court trajectory to devalue the rights of women, transgender men and nonbinary people their lives and livelihoods and to the curtail the civil rights of any population that does not meet their right-wing political agenda.”
Right to life groups celebrated the ruling, calling abortion horrific. Protesters, at the time of publication, are amassing on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
