Gov. Gavin Newsom says California will be an abortion 'sanctuary' if Roe v. Wade is overturned

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he has plans for California to become an abortion "sanctuary."
• The SCOTUS recently signaled it may be open to Mississippi's upcoming challenge to Roe v. Wade.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned for California to be a "sanctuary" for abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The governor's comments come as the Supreme Court hears what could be the most substantial challenge to Roe v. Wade in decades — a case brought by Mississippi attempting to overturn the 1973 landmark ruling.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Newsom said he was aware that out-of-state patients are likely to flock to California if protections for abortion rights are rolled back.

"We'll be a sanctuary," Newsom told the AP. "We are looking at ways to support that inevitability and looking at ways to expand our protections."

Newsom told the AP that he plans to make room in his budget proposal this coming January for some of the suggestions brought forth by the California Future of Abortion Council. The Council is a group he started that comprises over 40 abortion providers and advocacy organizations. It recently published a list of 45 recommendations that would help make abortion care readily available in California, with additional provisions for a scenario where Roe v. Wade is overturned.

"If Roe v. Wade is overturned or gutted, as most legal observers anticipate, 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion, increasing the number of out-of-state patients who would find their nearest clinic in California from 46,000 to 1.4 million — a nearly 3,000 percent increase," wrote the Council in its report.

The group's recommendations include asking California to increase its investment in abortion funds to alleviate the cost of medical services and make providers more easily accessible. They suggested creating and funding an "uncompensated care program" that essentially pays for lodging and care for out-of-state individuals seeking abortions.

The SCOTUS has already signaled that it may be open to Mississippi's position that abortion be banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy. If the SCOTUS does overturn Roe v. Wade, there are 'trigger' laws in 12 states — including Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas — that would automatically ban abortion.