In the aftermath of the United States Supreme Court decision to overturn the precedent established by Roe v. Wade and take away the constitutional right to an abortion that people have exercised and relied on for nearly 50 years, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis is introducing a resolution affirming that abortion is essential health care and a human right rooted in the principles of freedom and equality.

The resolution states that, “this radical shift in jurisprudence will affect millions of people and threatens the equality of anyone who can get pregnant.” The resolution also notes that the looming Texas trigger law is “poised to outright ban and criminalize abortions within 30 days due to HB 1280,” and that “denying access to abortion defies the political will of the people, according to an April 2022 University of Texas and Texas Tribune poll finding that 78% of Texas voters supported abortion access in some form.”

The Texas abortion ban, which makes no exception for rape or incest, will harm victims of sexual assault, incest and domestic violence. The resolution cites that a victim of domestic abuse is at greater risk of violence once they are pregnant, and pregnancy increases the risk of homicide. According to a study in Obstetrics and Gynecology, women who are pregnant or recently gave birth are twice as likely to die by homicide than any other cause of maternal mortality, most often at the hands of an intimate partner.

The Texas abortion ban is expected to disproportionately harm women of color, young people, those surviving economic insecurity below the poverty line, and people without health insurance, due to the social and economic impacts of enduring forced pregnancy and birth in a state and county with known risk factors such as lack of insurance and high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. The risk of death associated with childbirth is approximately 14 times higher than with abortion.

Safe, legal and accessible abortion is recognized by medical providers and organizations as an essential component of essential health care. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Association have voiced opposition to laws restricting abortions.

The resolution recognizes in a post-Roe environment that “local government will play a critical role in providing accurate information and helping residents access reproductive healthcare where possible under the law,” and resolves that “Harris County Commissioners Court is committed to promoting the expansion access to safe, reliable, and affordable contraceptive options and family planning services, and using our authority to ensure all residents have the freedom to control their own bodies, safely care for their families, and live with dignity.”