BWA director on 'You Decide' abortion bill: Public should not have a vote on someone's personal healthcare decision
Women's reproductive rights are at the center of new legislation.
A bipartisan bill authored by Sen. Tom Fisher and Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes proposes a community vote on whether abortion access should be protected under Guam law.
Fisher announced his “You Decide” bill which would put that question before voters on the next general election ballot.

"Shall we enshrine Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood? Should we enshrine these in Guam law? I don't have a uterus. Why am I controlling the uterus of someone else? Why am I making a decision on how a woman can use her body? Why am I making that decision?"
Rather than a referendum, the reproductive justice initiative, Famalao'an Rights, supports lawmakers pushing for pro-choice legislation.
But reproductive rights advocates, like Bureau of Women’s Affairs Director Jayne Flores, is against the proposal.

“'You Decide' would mean an individual decides on their personal healthcare," she said. "If he wants a vote, it means the community decides on someone’s personal healthcare issues. The community should not have a say in someone’s personal private healthcare decision. So we don’t need the community to vote on this measure."
She adds the bill is unnecessary as abortion is legal under Guam law.
But Fisher said the statute only provides for a limited right to abortion, arguing that his bill is essential.