Local Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda

Homegrown RJ:
From Your Kitchen Table to the Town Hall

Take Action

 

Georgia’s Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda for Counties and Municipalities is a living document reflecting the policy changes we need at the municipal and county level to advance Reproductive Justice (RJ) so ALL Georgians can make decisions around our bodies, for our families, and our communities, free from stigma, shame, or state and interpersonal violence.

This agenda captures a curated list of policies that (1) proactively advance RJ across a range of issue areas, (2) can be implemented by county and/or municipal governments in Georgia,  (3) are both bold and achievable, (4) align with the Amplify Georgia Collaborative’s priorities and values. 

Amplify recognizes that policy change is just one of many tools to help us along the path towards reproductive liberation. While this document focuses on leveraging legislation for change, it is situated within a broader strategy that includes organizing, education, direct service provision, narrative shift work, and the building of systems and services outside of the state.

Georgia context

The need for improved access to reproductive healthcare in Georgia is great. The Georgians most impacted by these shortages are Black, Brown and Indigenous, LBGTQ, young, poor, rural, immigrants and refugees. Of particular note is that Georgia has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the U.S. and Black babies die at nearly twice the rate as white babies. The majority of these deaths are preventable. Learn more about the state of reproductive health in Georgia below.

The Opportunity for local change

Local government is closest to the people

The best solutions come from those closest to the problem and local government is the level of government closest to the people. Local officials are neighbors, colleagues, and friends– part of the same communities as the constituents they serve and impacted by the same problems. As such, they are often the most accessible elected officials for the average person and the most responsive to community demands. 

Local government can create change NOW

Local government has a huge impact on people’s day-to-day lives. The roads we drive on, schools we attend and send our children to, the water we drink, the health departments where we get vaccinated, and many more crucial services are controlled by local governments. At this moment, when so many of our rights are under attack, local governments have the obligation to utilize any and all tools available to them to protect their constituents from harmful state and federal policies and, whenever possible, advance their rights. Unlike the state legislature, local governments operate all year round, creating an opportunity to advance policy change more regularly, having a tangible impact on people’s lives now. 

Local government is needed now more than ever

Local Government has an essential role in advancing RJ

Local government can and should be doing more. In this political moment, when the federal government and Georgia legislature is failing to listen to the needs of the people, localities have an opportunity to be creative and bold. And while the legislature does utilize its preemption power to stop localities from implementing certain policies, that should not be a reason not to be bold in proposing legislation. This is the moment for local elected officials to go beyond words and take action to advance proactive policies that protect constituents from government overreach and improve the material conditions of their lives.

Too often local elected officials consider reproductive health, rights and justice to be a matter of the state legislature. Because localities have historically ignored their role in this work, there are many unrealized opportunities to advance change quickly. Cities and counties can put forth policies that improve access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, increase the availability of childcare, improve the safety and security of the most vulnerable Georgians, and so much more. They can educate their constituents, combatting misinformation and ensuring people know their rights. And they can serve as a connector, linking people with available resources and services in our communities.

Policy Roadmap

Amplify envisions a world where ALL Georgians can make decisions around our bodies, for our families, and our communities, free from stigma, shame, or state and interpersonal violence. These are the policies that can help us get there.

Our bodies

Change Goal: All Georgians can access safe, affordable, stigma-free abortion care. All Georgians know their rights around reproductive healthcare and are treated within a culture of support for abortion as a health care service. Any and all pregnancy decisions are normalized. 

Policy and/or Campaign:

Funding

One of the most powerful ways that counties and municipalities can support constituents to access abortion services is by directly resourcing abortion care and/or access. This may look like providing grants to or creating service agreements with local clinics and abortion funds to directly cover the cost of abortion care and/or logistical support (funding for travel, hotels, childcare, etc.) to access the care. This support is especially impactful now that the majority of Georgians have to travel outside of the state for care.

Municipalities and counties can allocate this funding in a number of ways: creating a line item in annual budgets, donations or service agreements moved via resolutions, and the use of federal funds (when applicable). The goal for local abortion funding should be to help to sustain long-term abortion access for people in their locality. While one-time donations and grants are impactful, long-term funding, like having a regular line item in budgets or establishing long-term service agreements, help to sustain critical abortion access infrastructure. Learn more about Best Practices in Municipal Abortion Funding

Decriminalization 

Pregnancy criminalization is not something that emerged with the fall of Roe v. Wade. However, it is increasingly being utilized by overzealous law enforcement and prosecutors who feel emboldened by increasingly extreme abortion bans.  To fight back against this, local legislators can introduce resolutions and ordinances to protect constituents from being prosecuted for their pregnancy-related decisions, including seeking abortion care. They can do this by prohibiting the use of resources from their city or county (e.g. DAs’ offices, sheriffs’ offices, police departments, etc.) to investigate or prosecute people for their pregnancy outcomes, or for providing abortion care within the bounds of the law. Local officials can also prohibit city or county resources (funds, personnel, equipment) from being used for storing or cataloging reports on abortions, conducting surveillance on individuals or organizations for determining whether an abortion has occurred, and/or for providing information about reproductive care to any government agency.

Abortion Provider Appreciation Day (APAD)

Recognize and support local abortion providers for the vital services they provide our communities. APAD emerged as a response to the murder of abortion provider, Dr. David Gunn, on March 10th, 1992 by anti-abortion extremists. Local proclamations that celebrate abortion providers on March 10th each year demonstrate that abortion care workers and continued, safe access to abortion care are vital parts of our communities. 

RJ Commission

Utilize resolutions to establish bodies, like a Reproductive Justice Commission, of key stakeholders (advocates, researchers, community leaders, providers, etc) to provide recommendations to electeds and other government officials on how the locality can advance reproductive justice. 

Change Goal: All Georgians can access and utilize the birth control method of their choice, including emergency contraception.  

Policy and/or Campaign:

Many Georgia health districts already have mail order condom programs and low cost and/or free birth control at health departments. However, most residents are not aware of these offerings. Counties should consider conducting public awareness campaigns to educate constituents about this service. 

  • Public service announcements, billboards, partnerships with schools, advertising in government spaces, social media advertising promoting county programs for affordable and free contraception, including condoms
  • Providing funding to school based health centers to support the provision of contraception to youth and their families
  • Provide and maintain emergency contraception vending machines in government facilities
  •  

 

Change Goal: All pregnant Georgians have access to high quality, affordable maternal healthcare and have the autonomy to make decisions about their pregnancy and childbirth experience, including where and with whom they birth. Safe, respectful, and culturally competent maternal healthcare is the expected norm and standard.

Policy and/or Campaign:

  • Recognizing Awareness Days or Weeks, including, but not limited to:
    • Maternal Health Awareness Day
    • Black Maternal Health Week
    • Black Midwives Day
  • Resourcing for access to doula care and/or to cover doula training
  • Establishing housing assistance programs for pregnant and postpartum families

 

Change Goal: All Georgians have free access to menstrual products in city and county facilities, including jails and prisons, parks and recreation spaces, libraries, schools, and other government buildings

Policy and/or Campaign:

  • Period products in all bathrooms in government buildings. Example legislation: Macon, GA
  • Supporting organizations that are doing menstrual equity work via grants or service agreements
  • Getting localities certified as a Period Positive Workplace
  • Period cabinets in jails and prisons. Free access without needing to ask or pay for them
  • Period cabinets in schools. Free access to menstrual products in school bathrooms, products of a quality comparable to those generally sold at major retailers, and, for tampons, plastic applicators.

 

Change Goal: Incarcerated Georgians have access to dignified, high-quality reproductive healthcare, including abortion care.  

Policy and/or Campaign:

Incarcerated individuals have the constitutional right to healthcare. It is the responsibility of local governments, who oversee local jails, detention centers and prisons to ensure that incarcerated folks can access comprehensive and dignified healthcare, including abortion care, contraceptive services, and maternal healthcare with midwifery and doula support. This includes strengthening HB 345  through local ordinances banning the practice of restraining pregnant and birthing people.  

Our Families

Change Goal: No Georgian is discriminated against for their pregnancy status, family status, sexuality or gender identity.

Policy and/or Campaign:

Ensure that non-discrimination policies explicitly protect both government employees and the general public so that regardless of their pregnancy status, family status, sexuality or gender identity, they can access local government services including housing, health care, and government assistance. Ensure that all city and county employees, including those who are LGBTQ+ can access fully insured coverage for fertility assistance and gender-affirming care without fear of discrimination. Localities should affirm that they are safe places for LGBTQ+ individuals to access the healthcare that they need without fear of discrimination or criminalization

  • Example housing anti-discrimination ordinance: Austin, TX
  • Example of non-discrimination ordinance for LGBTQ+ individuals: New York City, NY (2023): Gender-Affirming Healthcare Access in Public Hospitals Initiative
  • Example anti-discrimination ordinance, Washington, DC – on the basis of sex and defines sex to include and prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity, because of family responsibilities and because someone was the victim of domestic violence
  •  

 

Change Goal: All local government employees have access to paid family and medical leave, including time off to travel to access care not available in Georgia. 

Policy and/or Campaign:

All government employees have paid family and medical leave that at a minimum meets the best practices laid out by A Better Balance.  This includes at least 12 weeks of paid family leave plus additional leave for other Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) purposes, utilizing an inclusive definition of “family”, and covering as many workers as possible.

  • Example: A Better Balance Model Paid Leave Policy
  • Example: City of Atlanta policies which provide six weeks paid family leave for birth or adoption, becoming a foster parent; non-primary caregiver for a child/children shall be entitled to time off with pay not to exceed two weeks for family leave to support a domestic partner or spouse upon the occurrence of birth, adoption, or becoming a foster parent

Ensure that local government employees have paid time off to travel to access reproductive care not available in their locality. 

  • Example: Atlanta legislation allowing reproductive health leave – including miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion – and the time required to obtain care as eligible reasons for employee sick leave

Change Goal: All local government employees can access affordable, high-quality healthcare, including the full range of reproductive health services.

Policy and/or Campaign:

Ensure that all government employees are offered affordable health insurance and that this insurance covers the full spectrum of reproductive health services, including abortion care (plus time to travel out of state, if needed), fertility services (including for LGBTQ+ employees), and maternal health care (including doula services and mental health care). 

  • Where possible, provide employer-paid insurance for workers and dependents; ensure that co-pays and deductibles are not causing employees undue burden
  • Fertility benefits should include freezing eggs and sperm, in vitro fertilization, intrauterine insemination, and the cost of reproductive endocrinology
  • Maternal health benefits should include coverage of giving birth at a birthing center, utilizing midwife and doula care, medically-indicated ultrasounds, etc.
  • Ensuring employees have access to a comprehensive employee assistance program (EAP)
  •  

Our Communities

Change Goal: All Georgians have access to unbiased, medically accurate reproductive healthcare information and know how to access reproductive services from legitimate healthcare providers. 

Policy and/or Campaign:

Fake Clinics (a.ka. Anti-Abortion Centers or Crisis Pregnancy Centers) are unlicensed and unregulated organizations that utilize deception and manipulation to convince people not to access abortion care. Georgia has over 80 of these Fake Clinics as compared to 13 real abortion clinics. Localities can combat the deceptive practices of Fake Clinics by passing legislation prohibiting them from misleading patients about the services they provide. They can also ensure that no local resourcing is going to these Fake Clinics, including funding to provide sex ed. 

 Change Goal: All K-12 Georgians receive comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.

Policy and/or Campaign:

Youth are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors that put them at risk for sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. It is pertinent that youth receive education on how to protect their health and bodies, starting their early years. The education needs to include lessons discussion on gender, sexuality, and pregnancy options.


Local governments and school boards must ensure that students receive comprehensive sex education that includes information about consent, sexuality, gender, and pregnancy options. It should also highlight resources provided by localities, including free and low-cost birth control, STI testing, and free condoms from county departments of health. 

  • Work with school boards to amend their sex ed curriculum and provide support for community based sex ed programs
    • Enter partnerships with providers of sex education like GCAPP and Planned Parenthood Southeast, allowing them to educate students
    • Utilize curricula that are not abstinence-only, but include a comprehensive range of topics and options
    • Allow departments of health to offer sex education programming at local community centers and libraries 

Change Goal: All Georgians can access affordable, high-quality childcare. 

Policy and/or Campaign:

Localities can increase access to affordable childcare in many ways including providing childcare subsidies to low income families,  providing tax breaks to childcare providers, supporting childcare providers to apply for small business grants, and identifying opportunities for public-private partnerships in establishing new centers. Learn more about creative ways localities are supporting child care here: National League of Cities, mayor’s innovation project.

Change Goal: Georgians can raise their children in safe and sustainable communities without fear of state violence. 

Policy and/or Campaign:

Local governments should prioritize investing in the safety and sustainability of our communities, rather than carceral punishment. This includes resourcing policing alternatives and diversion programs, which ensure residents have trained crisis responders to call (ex., Mental health crises, assisting those experiencing homelessness or substance use issues, etc.) that are not police. 

How to Use this Agenda to Advance Change in Your Locality

our rj work is homegrown

This agenda is meant for community members, local organizations, elected officials, and anyone else seeking ways to advance reproductive justice through local government. The agenda not only outlines what is possible, but also provides resources, tools, and sample policies that can be adapted for your specific context. 

This is meant to be a starting place, not a destination. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Georgia has 159 counties, each their own unique cultures and needs. We hope that this agenda can serve as a catalyst, sparking ideas for local policies and programming that could work in your specific context. And the Amplify Georgia Collaborative is here to support you in your leadership, whether it is in drafting legislation, supporting speakers at city council and board of commissioner meetings, amplifying calls to action, providing additional resources, etc.  Change is possible, and together, we can make it happen.

How to Take Action

Let your city and county elected officials know that you expect them to support the Local RJ Policy Agenda, and that these policies are already on their desk.

We won’t stop until ALL Georgians living in all localities can make decisions around our bodies, for our families, and in our communities, free from stigma, shame, or state and interpersonal violence.

Email Your Elected Officials