SAN DIEGO — “Unprecedented, but not unexpected” that's what pro-choice leaders across California are saying about the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Planned parenthood and our partners and our allies will never back down,” said Darrah Johnson, CEO & President of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.
Fearing this could happen, dozens of elected leaders and pro-choice organizations started working months ago on a plan to prepare for the worst.
It’s called the “California Future of Abortion Council,” they found 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion.
It’s believed that it will increase the number of people coming to California to get an abortion from 46,000 to nearly 1.4 million, with most coming from Arizona.
“We are ready to make sure that we can take care of as many patients and people across this country who need access to abortion care and if they show up in our three-county region, San Diego, Riverside or Imperial Counties, we will be prepared to take care of them,” said Johnson.
And to make sure California remains a safe place for women to seek abortions, elected leaders are calling for an amendment to the state constitution, guaranteeing abortion rights.
Those supporting that move say banning abortions only hurts those who are already suffering the most.
“Young people, people of color, people who live in rural areas, LGBTQ folks, these are people who are already impacted greatly in their lives and so what's happening is they're going to have this other and extra burden,” said Johnson.
The total cost of this to California taxpayers isn't clear, but with the state expecting a surplus of about $31 billion, leaders say the money is there.
And to those who say that money should be spent fixing quality of life issues for taxpayers - like homelessness and crumbling streets.
“It's really not a forced choice of what we choose to take care of or what we don't choose to take care of. It's our duty and responsibility as a state and a government to take care of people who are now losing a right that they've had...and there is space to do it all,” said Johnson.
WATCH RELATED: San Diegans on both sides weigh in on abortion debate (May 2022)
San Diegans on both sides weigh in on abortion debate