BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Governor Kathy Hochul is directing all state agencies to make women aware of their reproductive rights in the wake of a controversial new law in Texas which prevents women from having an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.
"We will create a patient bill of rights to distribute in doctor's offices and clinics and other organizations where people need guidance," Hochul said Monday. "It will be in plain, clear language and in languages that people can understand. No language barriers. We're going to make sure every woman in the State of New York knows her rights."
Health care providers will also be given additional guidance on abortion care. Hochul also plans to update state regulations so that medicated abortions can be accessed through telemedicine.
Senate Bill 8 in Texas imposes new restrictions on when a woman can have an abortion and allows anyone to file a lawsuit against someone they believe could be helping a woman to obtain an abortion outside of those restrictions. Hochul called the law "grotesquely unfair" because many women are not aware they are pregnant at six weeks. The governor said she once went whitewater rafting when she was three months pregnant and unaware.
"We have to stop extremists from taking women's rights away that have been protected nationwide since 1973," Governor Hochul said.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined Hochul during Monday's news conference and said her job is to now pass the Women's Health Protection Act, which would codify abortion nationwide. She believes filibuster reform is needed and a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which bars the use of federal funds to pay for an abortion.
"It's about our bodies," Gillibrand said. "It's about our liberty. It's about our civil rights and our fundamental human rights."
