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New York legislators looking to boost abortion laws

May 09, 2022 1:55 pm

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that the unveiling last week of the Supreme Court's ruling striking down Roe vs. Wade allows individual states to ban abortion. But in New York's legislature, there aren't nearly enough votes to stop the medical procedure here. New York lawmakers are considering bills to to strengthen access to abortion services for women from other parts of the country. "We're having a lot of discussions among the conference as well as at high levels over what exactly it will be -- will it be an omnibus bill or a package of bills," said Senate Health Committee Chairman Gustavo Rivera. "I can assure you before this legislative session is done New York is going to do a lot to make sure we can further strengthen the rights of people to receive safe and legal abortions." Gov. Kathy Hochul has suggested creating a fund for out-of-state residents, and increasing telehealth services, for example. Lawmakers are also considering state constitutional amendments to make it more difficult to stop abortions in the state. "All this is under discussion. I'll underline there's a recognition that this is a four-alarm fire," Rivera said. "When the inevitable happens and Roe becomes a thing of the past, we want to make sure New York is a bulwark for that right." Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.