By Alfred Acenas
Eagle News Service

HONOLULU (Eagle News) – Hawaii’s congressional and state officials were to quick to react to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 49-year ruling of Roe vs. Wade and return the authority to regulate abortions to the individual states.

“Despite the ruling, I can assure you that women in Hawaii will continue to have access to the healthcare they need, and that includes abortion,” said Governor David Ige. “Hawaii law already protects the right of individuals to make their own deeply personal reproductive health decisions, including the right to seek abortion care.”

In 1970, three years before the landmark decision for a constitutional right to abortion, Hawaii became the first state in the Union to decriminalize the said procedure.

State Senate Vice President Michelle Kidani, shared a similar response to the high court’s latest decision.

“As a State, we must remain vigilant and continue to ensure that a woman’s right to reproductive healthcare is protected and access is provided to those who need it,” Kidani stated. “Our daughters and granddaughters deserve to grow up in a country where they are afforded more rights, not less.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono claimed that the latest ruling is just the “tip of the iceberg” and that the mostly-conservative judiciary intends to overturn other individual rights and freedoms in the future.

Hirono also called on fellow Democrats in Congress to continue to support women nationwide.

(Eagle News Service)