The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, reversing Roe v. Wade, the court’s five-decade-old decision that guaranteed a woman’s right to obtain an abortion.
Twenty-six states are now working or planning to ban access to abortion following the Court’s ruling. As pregnant people look to travel from their home state to find abortion care, California medical clinics and volunteer networks are preparing to welcome them. For 1.4 million people, their closest abortion provider will now be in California, an almost 3,000% increase.
California lawmakers are working to establish an Abortion Practical Support Fund that would help out-of-state patients cover the logistical costs of traveling here for an abortion, including transportation, lodging, and childcare. Nonprofit groups, meanwhile, have been working to recruit and train volunteers who can help with rides and a place to stay.