Californians Vote to Keep Teens Safe, Reject Anti-Choice Prop. 73

Washington, DC -- NARAL Pro-Choice America commended the efforts of its chapter, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and the state's pro-choice coalition partners for their pivotal role in the rejection of a ballot initiative in the Golden State.

The measure, Proposition 73, included a parental involvement mandate and other anti-choice provisions.

The leaders of both the national group and the state chapter said voters' rejection of Prop 73 demonstrated that anti-choice rhetoric won't persuade voters to support measures that would endanger teens' health.

"Californians reaffirmed their commitment to a woman's right to choose and rejected a ballot initiative that would have jeopardized the safety and health of our state's teens. All of us want parents to be involved in their teens' lives, but California voters understood that Prop 73 was more about anti-choice groups pushing an agenda and not about the health and safety of their kids," said Amy Everitt, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California. "It's was a tough fight – and we were proud to work alongside our coalition partners, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, ACLU California, and the California Family Health Clinics in successfully communicating why Prop. 73 was wrong for California's families."

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, commended Californians for protecting their teens by voting down Prop. 73.

"A ballot initiative cannot mandate healthy family communication," Keenan said. "Yesterday’s vote is a sign that Californians want Governor Schwarzenegger and other elected officials to focus on ways to prevent unintended pregnancy. Fortunately, California has made honest, medically accurate sex education a priority, so let’s hope the state will devote more resources to these efforts, now that voters have said no to anti-choice proposals like Prop. 73." 

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032