Gov. Kathy Hochul is joining a coalition of governors from around the country who are supportive of abortion and reproductive rights a year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. 

Hochul, who has been meeting in Los Angeles with the governors this week, is part of the Reproductive Freedom Alliance. The group bills itself as a nonpartisan coalition, but its composition includes prominent Democratic governors, including California's Gavin Newsom, New Jersey's Phil Murphy and Minnesota's Tim Walz. 

The meeting comes as Democratic and Republican led states have over the last year taken divergent directions for abortion laws following last year's court ruling. Some states have swiftly moved to ban the procedure or place new limits on it. 

In New York, Hochul has touted efforts meant to expand access to abortion services, including provisions meant to make it easier for out-of-state women to obtain an abortion. Hochul has also sent state money to clinics in order to strengthen security. 

"With the Statue of Liberty in our harbor, New York will always stand tall as a safe harbor for those who need abortion care. We've taken significant steps since the Dobbs decision to protect reproductive rights in New York -- from passing new laws protecting patients and doctors to investing more than $30 million in a new Abortion Provider Support Fund. Together with my fellow pro-choice governors, I'm committed to doing everything in my power to ensure women across America have improved access to safe, legal abortion care."

Abortion rights has been a key political issue in New York elections. Then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his 2014 and 2018 elections campaigned on his support for abortion rights and pledges to protect access in New York. 

When she sought a full term last year, Hochul contrasted her support for abortion rights with her Republican opponent Lee Zeldin. She has also backed a constitutional amendment that is meant to enshrine a broad set of rights in the state constitution, due to be put before voters next year. 

Republicans have long countered abortion laws would not change in New York, and candidates for governor have noted a Democratic-led Legislature would be unlikely to support any alterations.