State of the States: Trump Is Back, But His Anti-Abortion Crusade Never Left

We made it to the end of the week! Now say it with us, T.G.I.S.O.T.S. Thank God It’s State of the States! The DLCC is here to help you catch up on the state legislative stories you might have missed. It’s May 12th; ease into the weekend with a roundup of state stories from across the country.

For questions and suggestions, e-mail us.

ICYMI

• In the dead of night, North Carolina Republicans passed a dangerous abortion ban which the Democratic Governor has said he will veto. The new GOP supermajority is standing ready to override the Governor’s attempts to protect abortion rights. The GOP’s endless crusade to throw out reproductive freedom is exactly why the DLCC is targeting North Carolina in 2024 to break both supermajorities.
  
• Twice-impeached (and now indicted) former President Trump has returned, and he isn’t wasting a second to pat himself on the back for overturning Roe v. Wade. In his CNN town hall this week he touted the Supreme Court decision, saying he “was very honored to do it.” Since Trump left office, Republican legislatures have been doing his bidding by pushing the party’s anti-abortion agenda, and they won’t stop now.
  The reproductive rights of millions of Americans will be won or lost in state legislatures.

• A new poll from the Washington Post finds that nearly two-thirds of Americans say that mifepristone, the drug used for the majority of abortions, should remain available for use. Republicans are doing everything they can to ensure that Americans don’t have access to necessary drugs for safe abortions. Democrats, meanwhile, are fighting every step of the way to protect and expand reproductive freedom. The choice couldn’t be more clear.
  

GOP Fail

• Gov. Youngkin is renewing his push for an abortion ban in Virginia. Virginia Republicans are once again proving that given the opportunity, they will ban abortion. The only way to stop Gov. Youngkin from ripping apart reproductive freedom is to take back the House and defend our majority in the Senate, to kill his extremist agenda. The DLCC is fired up to keep working with our in-state partners to show the Virginia GOP to the door.

• After they failed to pass a full ban, South Carolina Republicans are still dead set on banning abortion in the Palmetto State. They are advancing legislation to restrict any abortion access that they can. This is the norm for the Republican Party across the country – attacking our fundamental freedoms at every turn, even if it’s deeply unpopular and dangerous.

• This week, Missouri Republicans passed legislation to ban gender-affirming care and trans athletes from participating in sports. These bills will have dangerous consequences for the LGBTQ+ community and target a group of people just trying to live their authentic lives. Instead of addressing the needs of their constituents and lifting up working families, the GOP is bowing to the MAGA extremists in their party.

Democratic Leadership

• While Republican legislatures pass abortion bans left and right, state Democrats are leading the charge to protect and expand reproductive freedom. This week, Nevada Democrats advanced a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion access – guaranteeing that Nevadans can keep control of their own bodies.
  
• From gun safety measures to expanding abortion access to putting money back into people’s pockets, the Democratic-led Colorado legislature passed a slew of bills this session improving the day-to-day lives of their constituents. These transformative policies came after an “extinction-level” midterm election for Republicans where the DLCC and Colorado Democrats picked up seats and expanded their majorities. There is no debating it: when Democrats win, they keep their campaign promises to pass life-changing legislation.
  

• Minnesota Democrats are using their newfound trifecta to cut costs and expand education access for thousands of Minnesotans. This week, the Democratic-led legislature passed a higher education bill that includes free college tuition for families making less than $80,000 annually – a crucial step towards improving accessibility, especially for people of color and working families.