What does the Reproductive Health Act do?
The Reproductive Health Act (RHA) simply makes the protections of Roe v. Wade a permanent part of New York State law – no matter what happens nationally. With barriers to abortion increasing across the country, the RHA protects access to reproductive rights in New York. RHA passed the Senate Bill S240, 38-24, was approved by the state Assembly, 92-47, and signed into law by the Governor on January 22, 2019.
Here’s what you need to know about the RHA now that it’s the law:
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- It puts abortion into our public health law, where it belongs. Prior to the RHA, New York’s abortion law predated Roe, which placed abortion within criminal law. The RHA removed abortion from the criminal code and put it into our public health law, ensuring that the focus is on women’s health.
- It protects women’s health throughout their pregnancies. The RHA makes Roe v. Wade’s protections explicit in our state law, ensuring that abortion is legal throughout a pregnancy in cases of non-viability, or when the life or health of the woman is at risk.
- It ensures access for women across the state. It allows advanced practice care clinicians to administer abortion care, allowing both women in urban and rural areas to access treatment in their own home state of New York.
Why we support RHA.
It’s simple. Abortion access is healthcare – and it’s healthcare that one in four women across the country use in their lifetime. Get the details in our Memo of Support.
Good reads that tell the truth about abortion.
Our polarized political landscape and social media silos allow for lies and misinformation to flourish. It’s important that all of us – as pro-choice advocates – know the truth. Here are some good articles and resources that break things down.