Council members question Baltimore's readiness for out-of-state abortion patients
BALTIMORE – Members of the Baltimore City Council held a hearing Wednesday to try to prepare for a potential influx of women seeking an abortion in Maryland.
Last month, council members called for a meeting to discuss the city's readiness for women traveling from out of state for abortion procedures. The goal was to make sure things are in place so that incoming visitors can do so safely.
"I really felt that we needed a deeper preparedness of this conversation," Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton said. "It's one of the most bitterly contested civil rights issues, as we all know, going back to the 60s."
Maryland is among the states where abortion remains legal following the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
Joining the council's Health, Environment and Technology committee were the deputy chief of staff for the Baltimore City Department of Health and a nurse practitioner with the agency.
The health department's representatives presented the resources that are currently available for women seeking abortions in the city. Yet some council members expressed concerns that those resources would not be enough.
"Is our health department being a leader bringing these people together?" Councilmember Danielle McCray asked. "Is somebody in the health department bringing everybody together to say, 'Hey, how are all of our city agencies going to play a role in this on the front end?'"
"Yeah," Kelleigh Eastman, the health department's deputy chief of staff, said. "So, I will have to get back on that question. I know we are closely working with our providers, as we always do. I can't speak to the specifics."
By law, the health department cannot provide abortions.
Still, council members said they're looking for the agency to play a key role in the process of making sure the city is ready to deal with a potential influx of patients.
The hearing ended in a recess with council members hoping to bring the topic back up once Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Dzirasa can be present.