North State abortion access | Political ramifications of overturning Roe | Gas rebates

By Sarah Bohannon,

Published June 27, 2022 at 8:28 AM PDT

The latest North State and California news on our airwaves for Monday, June 27.

Planned Parenthood ‘staying the course’ in Chico, Redding

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Friday, removing nearly 50 years of constitutional protections for abortion. Gilda Gonzales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California, said the nonprofit’s health clinics in Chico and Redding will do business as usual.

“We are staying the course,” Gonzales said. “We are staying strong. And we are not having any disruptions in our already planned services and offerings in those two locations.”

She said rural North State communities face some challenges with abortion access — like a lack of clinicians. If Planned Parenthood sees an increase in patients, Gonzales said regular services at these clinics could be strained. She stressed that Planned Parenthood would continue serving local communities first.

Hear what some residents in Chico think of Friday's decision in today’s Headlines.

— Jamie Jiang, NSPR

LaMalfa praises abortion decision; challenger calls it ‘disaster’

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Friday overturning Roe v. Wade is expected to have political ramifications across the country.

In the North State, Max Steiner, the Democratic candidate in California’s 1st Congressional District, called the decision a “disaster.”

“We have a hyperpartisan Republican Supreme Court that has overruled the constitutional rights of American women,” Steiner said. “And it did so in a manner that was unjustified and ahistorical, and we will see what happens at the ballot box in November as we try to fight for those rights and win them back.”

Steiner is challenging Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa in the November general election.

In a statement, LaMalfa called the decision “a win for the right to life.” He said the abortion debate is rightfully returning to Congress and state legislatures.

— Andre Byik, NSPR

Gov. Newsom says ‘women are not as free as men’ in wake of Supreme Court decision

Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday blasted the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. He said it creates a patriarchal and backward-looking model of rights for women.

“Never would this happen if men were the ones having babies. Ever. And you know that, and I know that and every damn person knows that. And that’s the elephant in the room. Because women are treated as second class citizens in this country. Women are treated as less than. Women are not as free as men. That’s pretty damn sick,” he said.

Newsom said California will serve as a safe haven for people living in other states that have abortion restrictions. He also signed a bill meant to shield patients and providers from bans in other states.

The Supreme Court ruling does not change access in California, which has legal protections for people seeking abortions.

— CapRadio Staff

Newsom, lawmakers strike agreement on budget, gas price relief

Democratic state lawmakers and California’s governor have reached a budget agreement that includes billions of dollars in rebates to help residents offset the high cost of gasoline.

Rebates will be in three income-based tiers. Depending on how much a person or family earns, they could be eligible for up to $1,050. The money will go to individuals who earn less than $250,000 per year, or joint filers who earn less than $500,000.

Gov. Gavin Newsom originally wanted to send money to car owners and temporarily make public transit free. But lawmakers insisted on tying the rebates to income.

Republicans have blasted Democratic leaders for not acting sooner. Newsom first proposed a rebate in March. The proposal still needs to be approved and it could be months before the funds hit Californians’ bank accounts or mailboxes.