Louisiana Coalition for Reproductive Freedom Responds to Passage of Amendment 1
Louisiana voters approved Amendment 1, which explicitly states there is no right to an abortion and the funding of an abortion in the Louisiana Constitution. The Louisiana Coalition for Reproductive Freedoms (LCRF), which is a statewide alliance of organizations and individuals, fought against the amendment for a number of reasons including that it would deny the personal freedom of bodily autonomy and would hurt already marginalized communities:
Black;
Indigenous;
people of color;
young people;
undocumented people;
people living on low or no income; and people experiencing homelessness; and
LGBTQ+ people.
Everyone should have the right and freedom to make decisions about their bodies and whether, when, and how they become a parent. Proponents of the amendment tried to say it would prevent public funding of abortion, but state and federal laws have prohibited public funds from being used for abortion services in Louisiana for more than 40 years.
The right to an abortion is still constitutionally protected by the United States Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, but Amendment 1 could prevent a judicial intervention for abortion rights should Roe ever be overturned. With Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, there are many who feel Roe is in jeopardy. Louisiana, which has passed 89 abortion-restrictive laws since the 1973 Roe decision, has only three remaining abortion care facilities, making it one of the most difficult states to obtain abortion care.
“Tonight’s result is deeply disappointing, but this feeling of sadness is temporary. Anyone or any organization in Louisiana who fights for reproductive freedom knows that these are hard battles to win, but we keep fighting because women— not just those of means but all women and all people who can become pregnant—deserve the basic right of bodily autonomy and high quality reproductive healthcare, which includes abortion. So I hold my sorrow this evening, but tomorrow Lift will stand in solidarity with all of our partners in the Louisiana for Personal Freedoms Coalition —Women with a Vision, New Orleans Abortion Fund, Reproductive Justice Action Collective and many others—who fought to defeat Amendment 1 and will continue to our work to advance freedom and justice.”