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I believe that decisions about abortion and contraceptive use should be left up to individuals–not dictated by the government. I share my neighbors’ outrage at the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which eliminated a person’s right to make their most personal healthcare decisions. Now, Georgia is left with a restrictive 6-week abortion ban that Governor Kemp bragged was the “toughest abortion bill in the country” when he pushed it through the legislature in 2019. As your State Representative, I voted against restrictions on abortion access and reproductive freedom, and I will continue to fight in the State Senate for a person’s right to make their own choices about their health and contraceptive use.
Jun 17, 2024
“@ColeMuzio When people who have never and don't want to become pregnant have an IUD inserted or removed, they are prescribed Mifepristone to help the cervix open. But I wouldnt expect you to know anything about womens reproductive organs”
Apr 7, 2023
Josh sponsored a resolution that proposes a constitutional amendment to create and protect the right to reproductive freedom in GA, including abortion without limit up until fetal viability.
Feb 14, 2023
Josh sponsored a bill to remove “unborn child” from the definition of “Natural Person” in the Georgia code and replace it with “a human being from the moment of birth”.
Jan 24, 2023
“This stay takes away the temporary grant of abortion rights for millions of Georgians while the Supreme Court makes its final decision. Extremely disappointing.”
Nov 23, 2022
“They’re playing with live ammunition now,” said State Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs). McLaurin voted against HB 481 in 2019 when he held a seat in the House. “My view is that some of the more sober Republicans in charge will understand that this is a loser issue for them.”
Nov 16, 2022
“BREAKING: GEORGIAS 6-WEEK ABORTION BAN HAS BEEN ENJOINED! Order below from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney. For the moment, abortion is legal past 6 weeks in Georgia.”
Nov 15, 2022
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“@meganlaneg @DubsEdmonds But even if that issue is for the fed district court, I dont think anyone can reasonably contest that under todays voidness opinion, any piece of HB 481 that criminalizes abortion after 6 weeks (no matter what the analysis is) is unconstitutional as applied.”
Nov 15, 2022
“@DubsEdmonds @meganlaneg Additionally, although the author of HB 481 was trying to access a personhood protection under 14A with the bill, thats a matter of federal constitutional law. SCOTUS has not yet said states get to define it for fed const purposes (and SCOTUS defined it in Roe to exclude unborn)”
Nov 15, 2022
“@DubsEdmonds @meganlaneg Disagree 100% - murder laws could not have been enforced on the basis of abortion under the Roe regime, and thats the relevant question decided by the court today.”
Nov 15, 2022
“What to expect re: abortion litigation: AG just filed appeal to GA Supreme Court. Expect a motion to stay McBurneys ruling (meaning: put the ban back into effect). If a stay is denied, that means potentially months of abortion access before the SC issues a final decision.”
Nov 15, 2022
“If this ruling holds, it means Kemp would have to try to pass his abortion ban through the legislature again if he wants it to be law. More than a few Republicans privately regretted their votes in favor of HB 481 after Roe was overturned. The playing field has changed.”
Nov 15, 2022
“I will vociferously oppose further restrictions on abortion in the State of Georgia, and I will seek to restore the abortion rights that Georgians once held prior to the Dobbs decision and the extreme 6-week ban that recently went into effect. We are talking about intensely personal decisions that can devastate families, no matter the outcome. The vast majority of Georgians know that government regulation on this issue has gone too far and that decisions about reproductive freedom and contraceptive use must be made by individuals, not the government.”
Oct 10, 2022
“Renewed Republican support for Walker after the abortion story broke makes perfect sense if you put it in the context of the core purpose of GOP abortion politics: Its to control women, not Herschel Walker.”
Oct 4, 2022
“Imagine being @Georgia_AG Chris Carr and your best defense of the states abortion law is look, we are only trying to prosecute doctors”
Sep 19, 2022
Anti-abortion zealots thought that if they gamed the Supreme Court and gerrymandered state legislatures, they could impose their regressive views on the majority of voters,” said state Rep. Josh McLaurin. “But Kansas proves that when you underestimate democracy, you lose
Aug 3, 2022
“GA anti-abortion activists are celebrating their win today. But watch what they do next. Will they shift focus to supporting families and newborns? Or will they try for more abortion restrictions and other limitations on autonomy and sexuality? I think we know the answer.”
Jul 20, 2022
“The GA 6-week abortion ban is now officially in effect. But this isnt the end there is a lot of fight for us left.”
Jul 20, 2022
“The overwhelming theme from the protests today was this: its gonna take more than voting to defend reproductive liberty. It will take people in the streets, asserting the power of the people. Politicians wont save us. People will.”
Jun 24, 2022
“These guys are afraid of women. Remember the tens of GSP cruisers they parked by the Capitol when they passed the abortion ban in 2019? The same Kemp who mansplained to R women reps who privately begged him not to pass it (true story) is afraid of women protesting, full stop.”
Jun 24, 2022
“I shouldnt even respond to the No-Exceptions-Abortion-Ban-Quote-Tweet Brigade, but: The filibuster changes the dynamics of major votes regardless whether Dems get to 50 without it. Ending it removes political cover for fringe Dems and forces direct votes/accountability.”
May 11, 2022
“Wondering this morning how many of my R state house colleagues voted for the 6-week abortion ban in Georgiawhich is, at least for the moment, not in effectbecause they told themselves Roe and Casey would never actually be overturned.”
May 3, 2022
“Georgias 6-week abortion ban (not currently in effect, but still on the books) was argued this morning in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The stakes are high, but the law remains clear: Georgia violated the Constitution by imposing the ban.”
Sep 24, 2021
There’s been a lot of important discussion about the impact of the forced-birth law on women and Georgia’s industry. Those problems are at the top of my mind. As an attorney, I’m also frustrated that the legislature intentionally created a legal gray area surrounding “personhood” — with uncertainty about who is entitled to which rights — just to pander to the majority party’s base. Regardless of our political beliefs, we are supposed to be professionals who make sure our laws are clear and leave no confusion.
Jun 3, 2019
“I went to the Capitol today to stand with women whose constitutional rights are under assault by their own state. Governor Kemp signed HB 481 into law today, which includes the following provisions (among others): - an abortion ban after six weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they’re pregnant - victims of rape or incest must file a police report to get an exception to this rule, even though those circumstances so often go unreported - unborn fetuses are to be counted in the census and are treated as persons for tax purposes This bill is unpopular, scientifically unsound, and unconstitutional. Federal courts will inevitably strike it down. And taxpayers are left footing the bill for the legal fight. Georgians won’t forget this massive government overreach.”
May 7, 2019
Josh voted against a bill that bans all abortions after a fetal heartbeat (around 6 weeks). It includes exceptions for medical emergencies and rape or incest (but only up to 20 weeks and if a police report has been filed).
Mar 29, 2019
On Thursday, I voted against HB 481: a draconian, unconstitutional “heartbeat bill” that would take away a woman’s choice at 6 weeks into pregnancy. That’s very often before women even realize they’re pregnant. I didn't give a speech about the bill because our limited time was better used in the hands of colleagues like Rep. Beth Moore, who gave this speech linked here. She is an inspiration to me -- and her words are the reason why I was proud to stand with the millions of Georgia women whose freedom is on the line. This bill is now in the Senate -- and the Democratic caucus will fight it with everything we've got.
Mar 9, 2019