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Support the Reproductive Health Act
Seven states have taken action to affirmatively protect reproductive rights in the event of federal action that would curtail abortion access—let's add New York to the list by passing the Reproductive Health Act! This bill would update New York's pre-Roe abortion law, which is in the criminal code and does not include a health exception for post-viability abortion. New York can do better! The Reproductive Health Act would not change how abortion is provided in our state, but it would ensure that reproductive rights are protected.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , Please support the Reproductive Health Act, an important opportunity to bring New York's outdated abortion laws into the 21st century. As a physician, I know that our laws must protect women's health explicitly. The current state statutes do not provide such protections. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court proved that we cannot trust the federal government to protect women's health. New York should join the seven other states that have stated affirmatively that reproductive rights are vital to women's healthcare. Please stand up for the women of New York by supporting the Reproductive Health Act.
Sincerely, |
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| Background Information |
The Reproductive Health Act would affirmatively establish reproductive rights by declaring that every individual has a fundamental right of privacy with respect to certain personal reproductive decisions, including to choose or refuse contraception and for a woman, to determine the course of her pregnancy. This includes the decision to bear a child or terminate for any reason before viability or after viability for health reasons as determined by the good faith judgment of a physician.
The Act would also repeal an unconstitutional state law prohibiting the sale of contraceptives to minors under 16, repeal the five abortion-related crimes contained in the Penal Law, and amend the definition of “homicide” to delete the reference to “unborn child” while still protecting pregnant women by treating pregnancy loss following a criminal act as a “serious physical injury.”
