Project 50 April 2025 Political Newsletter
As attacks on reproductive freedom continue to escalate across the country, the fight for bodily autonomy is entering a new chapter — one defined by urgency, strategy, and unwavering solidarity.
This month’s newsletter brings you the latest updates on legislative sessions in our target states, how groups on the ground are preparing for the mid-term elections next year, and topline updates about reproductive rights nationally.
Bryan Howard, Executive Director
Marlou Svenson, Political Director
National Landscape Updates
A new poll highlights abortion as a key issue for voters in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Race.
Read more about the poll here.
Guttmacher Institute Releases 2024 Data
Earlier this month, the Guttmacher Institute released new data on the number of abortions in states without bans and interstate travel for abortion care. Between 2023 and 2024, the volume of abortion care in states without full bans, including those serving patients traveling across state lines, remained relatively unchanged. Read the full report here.
New Study about Maternal Mortality in Abortion Ban States
A recent study by the Gender Equity Policy Institute (GEPI) found that women in states with abortion bans face double the risk of dying during pregnancy compared to those in states where abortion remains legal. In contrast, maternal mortality dropped by 21% in states that protect reproductive rights. Read the full report here.
Utah Planned Parenthood closes several clinics due to Title X Funding Cuts
Utah, like several other states, lost all of its Title X funding due to the Trump Administration’s Title X cuts. As a result, two Planned Parenthood clinics were forced to close.
Wyoming Judge Blocks Anti-Abortion Laws
On April 21 a Laramie County District Judge temporarily blocked two anti-abortion laws enabling that state’s only abortion clinic, Wellspring Health, to resume providing care. These two laws were blocked due to a state constitutional amendment that protects individuals' right to make their own health care decisions. Whether the amendment covers abortion care was just argued in front of the Wyoming Supreme Court. The upcoming decision will determine whether abortion care remains legal in Wyoming.
Virginia - The Last Abortion Access State in the South
Virginia is one of the few states with major elections this year. Reproductive health care champion Abigail Spanberger is running for Governor, and the fight for control of the House of Delegates is at a critical moment with an abortion related constitutional amendment on the horizon. Read more about the work ReproRising is doing in Virginia here.
Project 50 State Updates
Progressive Arkansas Women PAC & Progress Arkansas Project
Arkansas
The 2025 legislative session just ended in Arkansas, and it was a tough session for reproductive rights. With an anti-choice supermajority, lawmakers pushed through new restrictions on abortion access. The Arkansas legislature also passed a series of bills restricting solicitation, collection, and submission of signatures for ballot initiatives, making it much harder for citizens to use the ballot initiative process to fight back. PAWPAC is actively reviewing and analyzing these new laws to evaluate their impact.
Progressive Arkansas Women PAC (PAWPAC) says this session has only strengthened their resolve. They’re more committed than ever to electing women who will stand up for reproductive freedom—and actually vote to restore it.
They also want to lift up and thank the pro-choice women they’ve helped elect, who showed real courage this session—fighting for good bills, speaking out against harmful ones, and refusing to give up. PAWPAC is proud to stand with them—and determined to grow their numbers in the next election. PAWPAC’s motto is "Persist & Resist" and they mean it!
Progress Arkansas Project, a new organization dedicated to electing reproductive health care champions, is set to officially launch on Tuesday, June 24, on the anniversary of Roe falling.
Join PAWPAC at a fundraising event in Little Rock this May! Register here.
Indiana
Our Choice Coalition is in the middle of a major rebrand as their Strategic Planning Committee will be recommending to the full Board that they rebrand as the “Indiana Reproductive Freedom PAC.” This fits with their need to move away from messaging on abortion as "a choice" but rather as necessary health care in Indiana. Along with this rebrand, OCC will likely be working with a vendor to help launch a new website, logo, CRM (likely NGP), and online store where they no longer have to keep their own inventory.
OCC is thrilled to welcome four new Board members on May 14 at their annual Board meeting. Their work just began last week on planning an annual event for Thursday, August 21, 2025. In the meantime, they continue to plan and host salon events and house parties across the state.
OCC is also following the Indiana legislature in its final week(s) of session and ensuring they stand ready to message on any anti-reproductive health care provisions that may slide into the state's budget bill. They are also assisting the Indiana Reproductive Health Care Coalition, which is a group of like-minded organizations in Indiana that meet weekly to track bills and educate the public on ways Our Choice Coalition can continue to maximize their impact throughout the year.
Join us on May 7th to learn more!
If you’re interested in learning more about Project 50 and organizations with whom we collaborate in our target states, we invite you to Project 50’s “How We Win” Event on Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, at the Ivy Room at Tree Studios (12 E Ohio St. Chicago, IL).
Our goal for “How We Win” is to raise $100,000 to expand power-building into two more states. You can RSVP online HERE or directly to Erin Schuler, at info@project50.net.
Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement during these unprecedented times. We’re grateful to be in this fight alongside you. Please reach out to us at info@project50.net with any questions.
Paid for by Project 50 (project50.net) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.