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Montgomery County Executive Elrich, State Delegates Eric Luedtke and Ariana Kelly Make Case to Companies in States with Criminal Penalties for Abortion

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 3, 2022

 Letters Invite Companies to Relocate to Montgomery County in Anticipation and Recognition of the Impact That Abortion Prohibition has on Their Workforces

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Maryland House Majority Leader Eric Luedtke, and State Delegate Ariana Kelly announced Wednesday that they sent letters to the leaders of 10 major companies to invite them to relocate to Montgomery County. Each of these companies are located in states with laws that outlaw abortion services. Five of these companies have reaffirmed their commitment to the health of their employees by offering to cover the cost associated with the interstate travel necessary to receive these vital procedures. These companies are:

Recognizing that abortion care is an essential component of healthcare, the following healthcare companies headquartered in these prohibition states were contacted: 

County Executive Elrich made the case for Montgomery County as an ideal location to attract a talented workforce.

“Following the recent Supreme Court decision and subsequent actions by states restricting women’s reproductive rights and threatening their health, there are now thousands of business owners and boards considering moving their companies to jurisdictions that are more aligned with the values of the workforce like Montgomery County,” said County Executive Elrich. “The only way that many of these states are going to reverse these draconian laws is if they lose businesses, revenues, and talented workers. I am pleased to work with House Majority Leader Luedtke and Delegate Kelly to proactively ensure that Montgomery County is on the radar of these companies as a welcoming, diverse, and inclusionary place to move to.”

“We understand that headquarters decisions are complex,” said Delegate Luedtke. “But when rights are stripped away and the health of employees is put at risk, we believe it is vital for companies to consider access to care when deciding where to ask their workforce to call home.”

While other states passed legislation to outlaw abortion care in the case of Roe v Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court, Maryland codified Roe v. Wade in a ballot referendum more than 30 years ago. Now, the General Assembly has turned its attention to expanding those protections and building out the capacity to accommodate the needs of both Marylanders and those traveling from out of state to receive care. 

Delegate Kelly was the lead sponsor of the Abortion Care Access Act, which passed earlier this year to address the shortage of abortion providers and accommodate the influx of people traveling from out of state.

“Now that federal protection for reproductive care have been erased, the decision about where to locate may be one of life and death,” said Delegate Kelly. “If companies want to attract the best and brightest, it is important to be located in a place where this vital right is protected, and that place is right here in Montgomery County, Maryland.”

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Release ID: 22-414
Media Contact: Scott Peterson 240-255-8462
Categories: Business