Planned Parenthood ready to fight for abortion rights in California

Imperial Valley residents react to supreme court leak - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Some Imperial Valley Residents are divided about the leak that revealed the U.S. Supreme Court could be planning to overturn Roe v Wade. Planned Parenthood is also not taking kindly to the recent turn of events.

"I want to be clear that we are going to fight like hell to reclaim our rights, if Roe were to be overturned, we anticipate 26 states including Arizona would eliminate or highly restrict access to abortion," Brittany Fonteno with Planned Parenthood said.

A woman’s right to have an abortion through the first trimester of pregnancy was protected nationally in 1973 following the supreme court’s landmark ruling.

But now, tables may be turning after a leak revealed the U.S. Supreme Court could be planning to strike down the landmark decision leaving some residents in Imperial County concerned. 

Chris Lopez is an Imperial County resident who says the situation is not black or white.

"I came to realize it is more of a pro-choice for me, there are different situations for one, what if the woman never wanted to get pregnant and she got pregnant by an unfortunate incident?" he said.

In the state of California, Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement reaffirming that abortion is protected.

“California will not stand idly by as women across America are stripped of their rights and the progress so many have fought for gets erased." 

Governor Gavin Newsom

In California, a woman can get an abortion up until her fetus becomes viable which is usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Additionally, parental involvement is not required in California. If you're younger than 18 you can consent to an abortion and do not have to notify your parents.

Abortion access is unlikely to change in California even if the landmark law were to be struck down.