Georgia reproductive justice organization pushes for state legislation
Amplify comprised of seven organizations working toward a common goal
The landscape of abortion care In Georgia has dramatically changed in the last few months. Allison Coffman, executive director of Amplify Georgia Collaborative–a pro-abortion organization, said most people now travel out of state to get abortions.
“Where we're seeing a large number of folks travel to is North Carolina, which is one of the nearest states that provides care up to around 20 weeks of abortion,” Coffman said. “So that's kind of the situation legally here.”
North Carolina itself could curb abortion access if the next governor’s race goes Republican.
Amplify is comprised of seven reproductive justice organizations. They work to get resolutions at the local and county level to protect abortion access. Thus far, resolutions have passed in Atlanta, Savannah, Athens/Clarke County, Pine Lake, Stone Crest, and South Fulton counties. They’re attempting to get one in Dekalb County too.
“It's important for community members to not fear that they are going to be jailed for trying to seek abortion care or self-manage their abortion,” Coffman said.
Georgia has now become one of the most important swing states in the country. Recent statewide races indicate it can go either way. Abortion politics has been central to debates there since the Dobbs decision.
During this past summer, Amplify lobbied for ARC-Southeast to receive $300,000 from the City of Atlanta that went to support abortion funds. It’s the sixth city in the U.S. to do that.
“That has been a really huge win,” Coffman said.
The next goal is the passage of the Reproductive Freedom Act, which will be introduced in the next legislative session that begins in January. It would repeal all existing abortion regulations. Coffman doesn’t expect it to pass.
Currently, Republicans have the trifecta of power in the state. They have the governor’s office, the house and the state senate. Democrats did see gains in the state house.
“The power is slowly shifting, but it's still firmly held by Republicans,” Coffman said. “So we do not have the numbers yet to pass a bill like the Reproductive Freedom Act.”