In the face of the United States Supreme Court possibly overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, California lawmakers have sprung into action.
On Monday it was leaked that the country's highest court was drafting an opinion that would overturn the 1973 ruling that a pregnant woman had the right to choose to have an abortion.
While other states have recently sought to limit abortion access for residents, like in Oklahoma, California has increasingly become a safe haven for this particular liberty.
And now state lawmakers have announced that they plan to take it one step further, by ensuring the state's constitution protects the right to have an abortion.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with State Senate President pro-Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, stated on Monday that despite what might happen in the Supreme Court, California will continue to protect abortion rights.
"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," said the statement. "We will fight. California is proposing an amendment to enshrine the right to choose in our state constitution so that there is no doubt as to the right to abortion in this state."
"We know we can't trust the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights, so California will build a firewall around this right in our state constitution," the statement continued. "Women will remain protected here."
This is the first time in history that a leak has occurred within the Supreme Court before a decision has been announced.
The leaked document is a draft, and is not final.
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