News of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling, and effectively end federal protections for safe abortions, sent several local and North Carolina leaders to social media Friday morning to share their thoughts.

After a draft decision leaked in May foreshadowed the conservative-majority court’s potential stance on the case, the official ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was released on Friday. In it, five of the eight current justices ruled that because the U.S. Constitution makes no immediate reference to abortion, the right to one is not protected by the federal government nor by previous court rulings. The decision now opens up the chance for states to enact their own laws on abortion access and care, more than half of which appear to be set to outlaw the healthcare practice.

In North Carolina, the right to a safe abortion is still protected. Two of the state’s top elected officials, Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein, each shared thoughts on Friday’s ruling and North Carolina’s access.

Many eyes will turn now to the North Carolina General Assembly to see if that access will remain. With general midterm elections awaiting in November, the Republican party needs a net gain of three seats in the state House of Representatives and two seats in the state Senate to regain a supermajority — or the amount of votes needed for lawmakers to override a veto from the governor if voting along party lines.

Two state senators representing Orange, Chatham and Durham counties shared their immediate reactions to the overturning of Roe v. Wade: Sen. Valerie Foushee, who is running for U.S. Congress, and Sen. Natalie Murdock.

At the local government level, several Orange County leaders shared their thoughts too, including Hillsborough Mayor Jenn Weaver, Chapel Hill Town Council member Amy Ryan and CHCCS school board member Rani Dasi.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP President Dawna Jones shared several resources that support people in need of abortion care, while the chapter itself shared plans to hold a rally in downtown Chapel Hill Saturday morning.

 

Photo via AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin.

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