KQED's Forum California at the Center of New Legal Battles Over Abortion
Aug 19, 2025
Mary Ziegler, a law professor specializing in reproductive rights, and Shefali Luthra, a reproductive health reporter, dive into California's complex legal battles over abortion rights post-Roe v. Wade. They discuss how lawsuits are threatening providers and patients alike, the controversial decision of major retailers like Costco to avoid stocking abortion medications, and the tension between healthcare practices and religious beliefs. With a focus on the implications for both Californians and national trends, the conversation sheds light on the shifting landscape of reproductive healthcare.
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Comstock Act Threat To Mailed Abortion Pills
- The Comstock Act, an 1873 obscenity law, is being repurposed to argue federal bans on mailing abortion pills.
- If courts accept this theory it could create a de facto federal restriction on mailed medication abortions from states like California.
Why Mailed Pills Are A Central Target
- Abortion opponents target mailed medication because telemedicine and mail have sustained abortion access post-Roe.
- They see mailed pills as an existential threat to state bans and focus legal and political effort there.
Cross-State Lawsuits Seek Federal Rulings
- Cross-state suits aim to force conflicts between shield-law states and ban states up to federal courts.
- The goal is both to get federal rulings and to pressure the Trump administration into a public stance.
