News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 22, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke, Pro-Choice Legislators, Abortion Rights Leaders Mark 30th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

OLYMPIA – Jan. 22, 2003 – Gov. Gary Locke today marked the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by calling for even more vigilance in protection of a woman’s right to choose.

“Washington is a strongly pro-choice state,” Locke said. “We have laws in place that assure women’s reproductive rights. We have a long history of passing pro-choice legislation and pro-choice initiatives. We must work hard to guarantee that this critical protection remains strong and intact.”

In its historic 1973 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a woman’s decision whether to continue a pregnancy is a fundamental right alongside other rights such as freedom of speech and religion.

But, during a press conference in Olympia today, a Washington state abortion rights leader said the Bush administration is working to undermine a woman’s right to choose.

“Today, on this 30th anniversary of the Roe decision, never before has a woman’s right to a safe, legal abortion been more threatened,” said Beverly Whipple, chair of Pro-Choice Washington. “We believe in a woman’s right to make her own decision about pregnancy, based on the conditions of her life. We strongly object to government forcing its way into this critical and private decision-making process.”

Locke said today he supports a key piece of legislation that will be debated in the Legislature this session. The Medically Accurate Sex Education bill is sponsored by Rep. Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park) in the House and Sen. Pat Thibaudeau (D-Seattle) in the Senate.

“If students are misled and misinformed, it can result in bad or uninformed choices,” Schual-Berke said. “Our students deserve the most up-to-date and accurate information so that critical life choices wind up being healthy, safe and informed.”

The bill mandates that all sex education courses, paid in whole or in part with public funds for use in public schools or elsewhere, shall provide medically accurate information.



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