Gov. Kathy Hochul celebrated the passage of a resolution to enshrine equal rights into the New York State Constitution on July 1, which will solidify the
right to abortion access in New York state. When enacted, the amendment will add ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care and autonomy to existing protections that currently cover discrimination based on race, color, religion or creed. This follows the governor issuing a proclamation earlier today to add this resolution to the extraordinary session agenda, in light of the recent Supreme Court decision which removed federal protections for abortion.
“In just a week, Americans have already begun to see and feel the devastating consequences of the end of Roe v. Wade. In light of the horrifying Supreme
Court decision to strip away reproductive rights, New York State is taking an unprecedented step toward codifying the right to an abortion in our State Constitution,” Hochul said. Following this momentous first passage, the resolution will need to pass again in the next legislative session before going to the voters for ultimate approval.
This action builds on New York state’s leadership in protecting abortion access. This includes a nation-leading $25 million Abortion Provider Support
Fund, overseen by the state Department of Health, to expand capacity and ensure access for patients seeking abortion care in New York, as well as $10
million for reproductive healthcare centers to access security grants through the Division of Criminal Justice Services to help ensure the safety of the providers
performing this vital care.
“The reversal of Roe v. Wade made it clear that New York State must continue to stand up and be a national leader to protect women and individual rights,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “That is why we are proactively codifying broader equal rights under the law and ensuring the constitutional right to abortion and contraception in New York. This is a massive step forward for our state while others move backwards, and an important
stance against the Supreme Court’s attacks on our rights.”
Hochul signed a comprehensive, six-bill package passed by the Legislature to further preserve, protect and strengthen abortion rights for patients and providers
in New York. The legislation takes specific actions to address a variety of legal concerns, including the establishment of a cause of action for unlawful
interference with protected rights and the inclusion of abortion providers and patients in the Address Confidentiality Program. The new bills also prohibit
misconduct charges against healthcare practitioners for providing reproductive services to patients who reside in states where such services are illegal and
disallow medical malpractice insurance companies from taking adverse action against an abortion provider who provides legal care.
Additionally, immediately following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Hochul launched a robust, multi-platform, paid public education
campaign to ensure New Yorkers—and all Americans—know that in New York state, abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible, always. The statewide
campaign includes multi-platform advertising efforts and a new website, providing a single destination for information about abortion rights, providers, supports, and payment options in New York.
