Measures meant to provide stronger legal protections for abortion services providers in New York are advancing in the state Legislature ahead of a potential Supreme Court ruling that could overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
The bills, approved in the state Senate, are expected to be considered in the state Assembly on Wednesday. Both chambers hold large Democratic majorities that had vowed to approve new measures meant to strengthen access to abortion services in New York after a leaked draft of a Supreme Court ruling indicated justices were prepared to overturn Roe.
New York already has some of the strongest abortion-rights measures on the books. But lawmakers in recent weeks have sought to bolster laws in anticipation of abortion being outlawed in other states that have "trigger" laws that go into effect if the court overturns the ruling.
“The leaked Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade sent shockwaves throughout the nation," said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. "Taking away the right to safe and legal abortion care will harm women’s health and relegate women to second-class citizens with no right to bodily autonomy."
In the Senate, lawmakers on Tuesday evening approved a bar on medical misconduct charges for performing reproductive health care. Lawmakers also want to block the state government from cooperating with out-of-state legal cases that involve abortion except under limited circumstances.
Medical malpractice insurers would be prohibited from taking action against health care providers in New York that provide legal abortion services under another bill. Lawmakers also want to study the effect of limited services in pregnancy centers.
New York's address confidentiality program would be expanded to include workers, volunteers and patients at reproductive health care facilities.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has previously signaled New York will spend millions of dollars to help abortion service providers upgrade their facilities for security as well as expand in anticipation of more women coming to the state seeking the procedure.
Lawmakers have also considered a constitutional amendment that would codify gender equality in the state constitution. The amendment would need to pass twice in two separately elected sessions of the Legislature and then put to voters in a referendum before final approval.
The New York Civil Liberties Union in a statement urged lawmakers to take up the first passage of the amendment.
“As the Supreme Court stands poised to overturn Roe v. Wade and states around the country attack gender-affirming care, the State legislature took a first step towards shoring up protections care in New York," said Katharine Bodde, the group's assistant policy director. "To truly lead the way today, there is even more New York must do. Albany lawmakers must pass the Equality Amendment to build meaningful constitutional protections for pregnant people. It would be a failure of our state government for this legislative session to adjourn without passing the Equality Amendment. The country is counting on us to step up.”
The New York State Catholic Conference has opposed the legislation proposed in New York, urging lawmakers instead to focus on outcomes that aid families.
Hochul, who is seeking a full term this year, has raised an alarm over the pending court case, airing TV ads that vow to protect abortion access in the state and touted the constitutional amendment under consideration.