State Constitutional Protection

The Oregon Constitution protects the right to reproductive choice to a greater extent than the federal Constitution.  A court struck down under the state constitution an administrative rule limiting state medical assistance for abortions to the extent it denied funding for medically necessary abortions.  Planned Parenthood Ass'n v. Dep't of Human Resources, 663 P.2d 1247 (Or. Ct. App. 1983), aff'd on other grounds, 687 P.2d 785 (Or. 1984).  A similar restriction has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court under the federal Constitution. Williams v. Zbaraz, 448 U.S. 358 (1980).