San Francisco to Boycott Businesses in 22 States That Restrict Abortions
Author: Michael Cardman, XpertHR Legal Editor
November 6, 2019
San Francisco has adopted a list of 22 states with which it will no longer do business because of their anti-abortion policies.
Earlier this year, the city adopted an ordinance that will, effective January 1, 2020:
- Prohibit city-funded travel to states that have enacted laws that prohibit abortion prior to the viability of the fetus; and
- Prohibit the city from entering into a contract with companies that are headquartered in those states or that would perform work on a contract in those states.
The 22 states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Nine of them - Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas - already were on a list of states banned under a 2016 ordinance that prohibits city-funded travel to states that San Francisco deems to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals.
San Francisco hopes to start a trend with its latest ordinance. "Although tax revenue from San Francisco alone may not be sufficient to encourage states to rethink their laws, if other cities and states follow San Francisco's lead, the financial pressure might be enough to prompt policy changes," city officials said in a statement.