TRENTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy introduced legislation on Wednesday that would expand who can legally provide abortions in the Garden State and mandate New Jersey insurance companies cover abortion with no out-of-pocket costs.
”Abortion is health care and health care decisions should be left up to the individual,” said Murphy during the press conference announcing the legislation. “Your body belongs to you. I do not know how to be more clear.”
The new bill comes after a leaked Supreme Court draft ruling revealed the court is preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that enshrined the right to abortion in the United States.
“In the coming weeks, a right-wing majority on the Supreme Court likely will take a wrecking ball to 50 years of its own precedent and for the very first time, overturn a decision in order to diminish our rights,” said Murphy at the press conference.
The governor signed a law in January that codified the right to abortion in New Jersey. If passed, the new bill would make abortion more accessible.
It would allow practice nurses, midwives and physician assistants to provide abortions and ensure those with state-licensed insurance plans can get abortions at no cost.
The New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners, which licenses medical professionals, started allowing the clinicians affected by the bill to perform abortions last year, but the new bill would codify that decision into law.
The bill stops short of implementing protections for people from states where abortion is banned seeking reproductive care in New Jersey and likewise does not protect abortion providers who treat people from out of state.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed a law on May 5 that similarly expands who can perform abortions, but also protects abortion providers and out-of-state patients seeking the procedure in Connecticut.
Murphy wrote on Twitter that New Jersey would not cooperate with out-of-state investigations into abortions, but since that policy is not mandated by law, the decision would be left up to state officials at the time of the investigation.
“Let me be clear,” he wrote on Twitter. “New Jersey will not cooperate with any out of state investigation into our health care providers that seeks to punish anyone – patient, provider, counselor, friend, or Uber driver – for providing abortion care.”
Related
Related
