I’m just spit-balling here, but one thought that has come to mind with various state restrictions on abortion rights over the last few years is what about a “private sector” fix for the problem?
Let me explain: There will (hopefully) always be states that choose not to restrict a woman’s right to have an abortion. As social conservatives have gotten state governments to put up more & more onerous restrictions on clinics, doctors, admitting privileges, ultrasounds, waiting periods, etc. it’s made getting access to a safe, legal abortion very hard in many states.
So what if there was a charity or other private organization that would assist women in restrictive states to go to less restrictive states, and were able to provide transportation, lodging, access to doctors, etc? For example, if you live in South Dakota, where they’ve been implementing restrictive waiting periods and the state has been working hard to shut down the only clinic that provides abortions, this charity could help transport you to WI or IL, arrange for the doctor’s visits, provide any required lodging, etc. to make this difficult decision easier to access.
I in no way see this as a fix to the issue of access (I really do think it should be allowed in every state and doctors shouldn’t be “regulated out” of performing abortions, though I doubt how the Supremes will rule on these issues once it makes it past the Appeals courts), but so long as the courts uphold state level legislation that restricts access, it’s a bit of an end-run around the access issue. Of course this may not be an inexpensive endeavor, and I’m sure states would do what they can to shut down the charity or their operations. But I think it would be much harder to shut down a charity that simply transports people to another state for medical care than it would be to shut down medical clinics in-state. It would also be a large assist to women who already live a long way from existing providers in their states (Think TX).
