On Jan. 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law the Reproductive Health Act, which removes penalties for personal healthcare decisions, and allows medical professionals to provide abortion service.
The Reproductive Health Act specifically amends the public health law, de-criminalizing women’s access to abortions and protecting the doctors who perform them.
Under the rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, exceptions for an abortion after 24 weeks can be made when a woman’s life or health is at risk. The existing New York law made exceptions only when a woman’s life is at risk.
The Reproductive Health Act changes New York’s law to permit abortions after 24 weeks in case where a woman’s life or health would be threatened by continuing the pregnancy.
Basically, the legislation codifies Roe v. Wade into New York State law.
“In the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v. Wade and women’s reproductive rights, I promised that we would pass this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session – and we got it done,” Governor Cuomo said in a press release received on Tuesday.
But not all lawmakers are in agreement with the amendment. In a press release received on Tuesday from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R, C-Canandaigua), he stated, “Abortion has been legal in New York State since 1970, even when it was illegal at the federal level. Today’s passage of the Reproductive Health Act came under the false narratives that the legality of women’s rights are being jeopardized, and this was a necessary legal step to simply formalize Roe v. Wade in state law.”
According to Kolb, the legislation passed on Tuesday expands abortion into the third trimester, allowing for a pregnancy to be terminated up until the moment of birth; takes away important protections for pregnant women who suffer violent attacks that injure or kill their unborn child; and threatens the health and safety of women by allowing abortions to be performed by individuals who are not physicians.
Kolb added, “New York is home to the highest abortion rates in the nation and some of the least-restrictive abortion laws. Access and opportunity have been here for decades. Today’s effort represents an extreme step down a very troubling road.”
Catholic leaders in New York have also spoken out to the media against the passage of this expansive new abortion law in the state.
The Catholic News Agency released a statement from the New York State Catholic Conference in which the state’s bishops called the passage of the law a new “sad chapter” on a date that already carried tragic associations for supporters of life.
Also, and in an open letter on Saturday to the governor in The Evangelist, the official publication for the Diocese of Albany, the Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger called into question Cuomo’s Catholic faith, arguing that what the bill permits is contrary to the teachings of the Catholic faith he professes.
In his open letter, Scharfenberger wrote, “Although in your recent state of state address you cited your Catholic faith and said we should ‘stand with Pope Francis.’ Your advocacy of extreme abortion legislation is completely contrary to the teachings of our pope and our Church. Once truth is separated from fiction and people come to realize the impact of the bill, they will be shocked to their core. By that time, however, it may be too late to save the countless lives that will be lost or spare countless women lifelong regret.”
Other lawmakers, like Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, see the signing of the legislation as a big step for women’s rights.
She stated, in a release on Tuesday, “As keepers of the torch for women’s rights that was first ignited in New York State back in 1848, we have a moral responsibility to continue this fight today. Thanks to an election that saw record numbers of women elected to office, I presided over the State Senate and we finally enacted the Reproductive Health Act to protect the rights of women across our great state. We act today on the anniversary of the groundbreaking decision of Roe v. Wade and recognize the threat we face from a Supreme Court determined to overturn protections that have been in place for over four decades. Today is an historic day for women in New York, and I’m proud that we are working every day to ensure full equality and safety for women.”
To read more about this legislation, visit www.nysenate.gov/issues/reproductive-health-act.
In todays world there are so many options to prevent Pregnancyand there is also the Morning Aftre pill and if all else fails a Pregnancy can be determined in the few days of Conception . It is not necessary to kill a child but since CONVENIENCE seems to be the real problem Gov Cuomo is a MURDERER. He would probably reject Lethal Injection but will kill a child. This what has been elected to represent the people. Well, I thank God I di not live in New York City. I know this will not mean anything to Gov. Cuomo because he just does not care about BABY.