When Utah legislators are sworn in each term, they take an oath to uphold the constitution of the state of Utah and the Constitution of the United States. State Sen. Dan McCay (a lawyer) just announced his intention to sponsor a clearly unconstitutional bill to restrict “elective” abortion.
As a law student, I am highly concerned at the concerted effort in the Beehive State to restrict people’s right to access abortion care, a constitutional right grounded in our rights to privacy as individuals. Privacy rights are too important to let the state whittle them away.
As a taxpayer, I am bothered that legislators are getting ever more brazen and wasteful in their no doubt expensive attempts to overcome Roe v. Wade and its progeny. Utah already has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country — why lead an expensive crusade that other states have clearly signaled their intent to fight?
Most of all, as a woman of child-bearing age, it infuriates me that my home state is trying to restrict access to important health care and choices that are mine and mine alone. I want to see legislators uphold their oath and leave our constitutional rights alone.
Emmylou Manwill, Millcreek