Reproductive Freedom Fight Emerges in Asm Race

Christy Holstege Accuses Assemblymember Greg Wallis of Joining California GOP in Failing to Support Critical Reproductive Freedom Legislation

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 47 — The debate over reproductive freedom has hit fever pitch in the nation’s capital and in some states. The debate has also reached a local Assembly race.

Christy Holstege, Greg Wallis’s Democratic opponent in Assembly District 47, alleges that in a “stark display of disregard for women’s health and rights, Republican Assemblymember Greg Wallis showed his true partisan colors joining fellow Republicans in failing to vote for urgent reproductive freedom legislation.” In a move of cowardice, Wallis dodged voting on the bill designed to safeguard and extend essential abortion services to Arizona residents seeking care in California.

“This is not just a failure; it’s a severe betrayal of women’s trust and an abdication of the basic responsibilities of a public servant,” Holstege said in a statement. “Assemblymember Wallis’s failure to support SB 233 is particularly egregious, considering our district’s geographical significance as a first stop for patients traveling from Arizona to California for reproductive care.”

It’s much ado about nothing, according to Francis Barraza, Senior Advisor to Wallis, told Uken Report.

“It’s pretty common to abstain from procedural votes which is exactly what happened last week.” Barraza said.  “Assemblymember Wallis’ record speaks for itself with his 100% scorecard from Planned Parenthood. When this bill comes up for a vote, he looks forward to supporting it. Councilmember Holstege is either intentionally misleading our community for her own gain or is unaware of how the legislature works.”

Senate Bill 233, a legislative effort led by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, aimed to permit licensed Arizona doctors in good standing to provide abortion and related care to their patients in California through Nov. 30. This bill was a direct response to looming restrictions in Arizona that threaten to strip away access to abortion care, leaving tens of thousands without the necessary healthcare they rely on.

The legislation was a proactive measure to ensure continuity of care for Arizonans during a critical time when pre-statehood laws threaten to reinstate severe restrictions on abortion services. With the urgency clause, SB 233 would have taken immediate effect upon the Governor’s signature, facilitating Arizona doctors under the oversight of California’s Medical Board and Osteopathic Medical Board to continue caring for their patients.

“Assemblymember Wallis should be held accountable for his actions on the legislative floor,” Amelia Matier, Holstege campaign spokesperson, said in a statement. “It shows a disturbing alignment with extreme elements that prioritize politics over people’s lives. His actions contribute directly to a public health crisis, impacting not just individuals but entire communities that straddle our shared border with Arizona.”