As we celebrate July 4th this year, there is much to consider. Our democracy is under attack, and the hard-won freedoms we cherish are facing unprecedented challenges. A significant blow to our civil liberties occurred on June 24, 2022, with the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, which eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, overturned nearly 50 years of precedent, and cleared the path for states to implement abortion bans.

In Maryland, we are fortunate that our state has a longstanding record of protecting reproductive rights and is now poised to take another important step to solidify the right to reproductive freedom.