RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Just one day after the United States’ Independence Day, Richmond City Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring the abortion rights will be protected within City limits.
The resolution, introduced by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, formally opposed the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
“I appreciate the support of City Council in this effort as nearly half of all patients seeking an abortion live below the federal poverty level and state they are unable to care for a child,” Stoney said. “The City of Richmond has three of the 15 clinics in Virginia. It is imperative that we do everything we can to advocate and protect the right to an abortion in our city.”
The resolution also called on the General Assembly of Virginia to protect and expand abortion access by:
- Protecting recent gains in access, thanks to the Reproductive Health Protection Act of 2020, and ensuring no new restrictions or bans
- Introducing and passing a constitutional amendment to define abortion as a right protected by the Virginia Constitution, thereby protecting access to safe, legal abortion for years to come
- Passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act and expanding access to abortion funding
- Repealing state restrictions and removing abortion from the criminal code of Virginia
The resolution includes that the City will take such actions as may be permitted by law to protect the rights of people seeking safe, legal abortion care in the city of Richmond.
