DGA Statement on Anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut

DGA Statement on Anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut

DGA Chair Gov. Tim Walz released the following statement on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, the first time the Supreme Court recognized the right to use contraception:

“Despite a landmark ruling nearly 60 years ago, the right to contraception is now facing serious threats after Donald Trump led the charge to overturn Roe. The same extreme Republicans who support banning abortion in their states now have their sights set on going further by ripping away women’s access to contraception, abortion medication and IVF.

While Republicans running for governor want to barge into your bedroom and exam room, electing Democratic governors is a crucial firewall to protecting reproductive rights. We’re going to keep highlighting that major contrast in races for governor across the country this November.”

As Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices overturned Roe and threaten to rip away further rights, in addition to Republican-appointed State Supreme Court justices in Florida, Alabama, and Arizona undermining reproductive freedom, the DGA has launched the Power to Appoint fund. The Power to Appoint fund highlights the power of nearly every governor in the country to make judicial appointments and further underscore the importance of electing Democratic governors who appoint independent judges who uphold the constitution and rule of law.

Here’s just some of what Democratic governors have done to protect and expand access to contraception:  

• Govs. Evers, Hobbs, Hochul, Lujan Grisham, Murphy, Shapiro, Whitmer, have all taken action to expand birth control access in their states, and even implemented cost reductions for patients on Medicaid.
• Govs. Cooper, Lamont, and McKee signed legislation that allows pharmacists to prescribe over-the-counter birth control options.
• Govs. Carney and Moore established public-private partnerships to expand access to contraceptives across their states.
• Govs. Pritzker, Newsom, Polis, and Walz signed legislation that protects and expands access to over-the-counter contraception options, codified reproductive rights into law, including the right to contraception.
• Gov. Inslee signed legislation requiring insurance companies to dispense a year’s dose of birth control, making it easier for patients to obtain.

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