WASHINGTON, USA — Saturday marks one year since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
So how has this decision impacted Washington? A state which continues to protect a woman's right to an abortion. KING 5 provides a year in review.
"As infuriating and scary as this time has been, I know I'm not alone when I say that I refuse to accept a future where our daughters and granddaughters have fewer rights than we did," said Sen. Patty Murray, who posted a video on Twitter on Saturday in reaction to the one-year anniversary.
Sen. Maria Cantwell released a snapshot of abortion care in Washington state this past year. Sen. Cantwell received data from Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho which shared the impact of out-of-state patients on Planned Parenthood's 11 central and eastern Washington clinics.
The data compares the number of patients from January through May 2022 to the same time this year. According to the data total, abortion patients are up 18%. The data also revealed the number of abortion patients from other states has jumped up 36%, and there's been an increase of 56% in abortion patients from Idaho.
"While our neighbors, Idaho are in the race to the bottom when it comes to reproductive rights, Washington is really a leading example," said Mack Smith, Communications Manager, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.
Smith said in addition to more abortion patients in the state, there's been a new trend, with, "people being interested in longer-acting birth control, whether that be IUDs or a vasectomy procedure."
Despite the impacts of the Supreme Court's decision. Smith said there were five pieces of legislation passed in the last session that is going to further protect providers and abortion patients in Washington moving forward.
"You are 100% safe and legal and within your rights to be getting this care today," said Smith.