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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Reproductive Health Act specifically amends the public health law, de-criminalizing women\u2019s access to abortions and protecting the doctors who perform them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, exceptions for an abortion after 24 weeks can be made when a woman\u2019s life or health is at risk. The existing New York law made exceptions only when a woman\u2019s life is at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Reproductive Health Act changes New York\u2019s law to permit abortions after 24 weeks in case where a woman\u2019s life or health would be threatened by continuing the pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basically, the legislation codifies Roe v. Wade into New York State law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v. Wade and women\u2019s reproductive rights, I promised that we would pass this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session \u2013 and we got it done,\u201d Governor Cuomo said in a press release received on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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, \u201cAbortion has been legal in New York State since 1970, even when it was illegal at the federal level. Today\u2019s passage of the Reproductive Health Act came under the false narratives that the legality of women\u2019s rights are being jeopardized, and this was a necessary legal step to simply formalize Roe v. Wade in state law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kolb added, \u201cNew 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\u2019s effort represents an extreme step down a very troubling road.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Catholic leaders in New York have also spoken out to the media against the passage of this expansive new abortion law in the state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Catholic News Agency released a statement from the New York State Catholic Conference in which the state\u2019s bishops called the passage of the law a new \u201csad chapter\u201d on a date that already carried tragic associations for supporters of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, and in an open letter on Saturday to the governor in The Evangelist<\/em>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his open letter, Scharfenberger wrote, \u201cAlthough in your recent state of state address you cited your Catholic faith and said we should \u2018stand with Pope Francis.\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other lawmakers, like Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, see the signing of the legislation as a big step for women\u2019s rights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She stated, in a release on Tuesday, \u201cAs keepers of the torch for women\u2019s 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\u2019m proud that we are working every day to ensure full equality and safety for women.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n