SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, removing the constitutional protections to abortion, several states have enacted laws restricting abortion access. But on the other side, numerous states and cities have expanded their access.
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council voted to make the city a sanctuary for abortion providers and patients alike, with orders being given to Seattle police not to cooperate in arrests or investigations related to abortions from out of state.
Some have speculated whether those who cross state lines to obtain an abortion legally will be prosecuted, but this action will now stop Seattle police from aiding out-of-state police in any fashion.
Under the law, Seattle police cannot arrest people on warrants issued in other jurisdictions or help in investigations related to anyone looking for or getting an abortion.
The bill was introduced by Councilmember Kshama Sawant a day after the Supreme Court’s ruling and has now deemed Seattle a “sanctuary city,” the Seattle Times reported.
Seattle has another law, Initiative 75, which stops the Seattle Police Department from pursuing charges based on cannabis, and this law will now do the same for abortions.
“Laws violating basic bodily autonomy and criminalizing reproductive health care are fundamentally unjust, and we should not allow Seattle to be complicit,” Sawant said.
The legislation was presented on Tuesday following a petition that had the support of 5,500 community members who wanted to see it become law.
In the last month, the governors of Washington, Oregon, and California have all refused nonfugitive extradition for individuals facing criminal prosecution for receiving reproductive health care services.
However, the measure from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee only applied to state police, but now Seattle police will also follow suit.
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