Stonecrest City Council approves historic reproductive rights resolution to support health care choices for women

STONECREST, GA –The Stonecrest City Council unanimously approved a resolution to support women’s reproductive rights at its Oct. 24 meeting.

Resolution 2022-10-01prohibits the use of City funds to investigate, store, or catalog reports of abortion care. It also encourages the DeKalb County Police Department to place reports of abortion care as its lowest priority in Stonecrest, except in criminal cases such as sexual assault or coercion.

“The City of Stonecrest proudly honors the personal health care choices of women,” said Mayor Jazzmin Cobble. “Georgia passed one of the strictest abortion bills in the nation, and, unfortunately, this resolution does not overturn that law. However, Stonecrest officials have a responsibility to protect the individuals in our city from any violation of their human rights. In addition, health care providers should not be penalized for providing comprehensive care to their patients.”

Stonecrest’s adopted resolution also supports the protection of individuals involved in the abortion or abortion-related process from criminal penalties.

The City’s resolution is elevated on the foundation of lawmakers in Georgia’s House of Representatives who support women’s reproductive choices.

State Rep. Rhonda Taylor, who represents portions of Stonecrest and serves on the Democratic House Caucus’ subcommittee for Women’s Reproductive Rights, commended the City Council for its resolution.

“It is a bold and admirable pledge to protect Stonecrest residents from any violation of their human rights; so, I am super grateful for the City of Stonecrest’s support in fighting for women’s rights and for upholding the right to privacy. Georgia’s ‘heartbeat’ bill is horrific, and it attempts to strip the decision making from women, which is not only insulting but outright, dehumanizing. Women in Georgia will continue to fight, and we will not be silenced into accepting this intrusion,” said Taylor.

Stonecrest joins Atlanta and other cities around the state of Georgia in passing a resolution that supports the reproductive rights of women. 

“This historic resolution ensures that Stonecrest remains a safe place for individuals considering, performing, or receiving abortion related care,” said Mayor Cobble. “We are committed to upholding a solid layer of privacy between patients and their medical providers. It is extremely important that we continue to allow our law enforcement resources to focus on local public safety issues for Stonecrest’s residents and businesses.”