PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council approved the creation of a Reproductive Rights Task Force at a meeting last week.
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, Philadelphia officials emphasized that abortions are still legal and accessible in Pennsylvania, but Councilmember Kendra Brooks, a sponsor of the bill creating the Task Force, says there’s no guarantee they will stay that way.
Brooks said she was concerned by efforts to ban medications that assist abortions, threats of violence to legally operating abortion providers, and laws in states like Texas that encourage legal action against women seeking abortions elsewhere, as well as clinics that provide them.
“It’s better to be proactive than reactive, so this Task Force is a way to put safeguards in place so Philadelphia will always be a safe haven for women looking for reproductive care,” Brooks said.
“We must ensure that all possible tools of city government are used in a coordinated and effective manner to expand and protect access to reproductive care.”
Amal Bass of the Women’s Law Project, testifying in support of the bill, told council members the Task Force should be more than symbolic, developing both recommendations and actions.
“These partnerships are important for ensuring that Philadelphia continues to protest the bodily autonomy of everyone who lives here, works here, and seeks health care here,” Bass said.
The bill passed council unanimously. The next step is appointing members. Brooks says no one has been nominated yet.