Governor Newsom speaks at Planned Parenthood headquarters.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday morning discussed his administration's efforts to protect abortion rights in California.
Amongst dozens of Planned Parenthood supporters, Governor Newsom delivered remarks at a South Los Angeles facility. The Governor's address followed police and more than 200 abortion-rights supporters squaring off in the streets Tuesday night over confrontations at a protest. Governor Newsom insisted that California will remain a "beacon of hope'' for individuals across the U.S. seeking abortions and other reproductive health care rights that could potentially be barred in other states. He urged voters to "wake up" and recognize that basic rights are under attack. "I think folks should be really pissed off at this moment,'' Newsom said.
California lawmakers vowed to go further on Tuesday by becoming one of the first to guarantee a right to an abortion in a state constitution. California uses taxpayer money to fund abortions through its Medicaid program, and requires private insurance companies to cover abortions while posing limitations from charging things like co-pays and deductibles for the procedure.