New York is moving to shield abortion pill providers from out-of-state litigation if they send them to people in banned states.
The state legislature approved the bill on Tuesday, which will now head to the desk of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
If signed, the law will allow telehealth providers to send the pills to patients in states where it is restricted, as long as they comply with New York’s ultra-liberal abortion laws.
The bill states that no New York government official “shall cooperate” with an out-of-state agency “regarding any legally protected health activity in this state.”
According to a report from The Hill, “The bill will shield providers from out-of-state litigation by saying that New York officials will not help a state with an abortion ban that attempts to pursue legal action against a New York telemedicine provider that offers abortion to a patient living in a state with a ban.”
“As anti-choice extremists continue to roll back reproductive care across the country, New York remains a sanctuary state for access,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement. “It is our moral obligation to help women across the country with their bodily autonomy by protecting New York doctors from litigation efforts from anti-choice extremists. Telehealth is the future of healthcare, and this bill is simply the next step in making sure our doctors are protected.”
Assemblymember Karines Reyes echoed that statement, saying, “As a medical professional myself, I am proud to sponsor this critical piece of legislation to fully protect abortion providers using telemedicine.”
“I continue to be deeply concerned with anti-choice activists’ efforts to undermine doctors in their ability to adequately provide for their patients and to undermine the patient’s control of their own body,” Reyes continued. “These anti-choice bills have a tangibly negative impact on patients’ health and well-being and New York refuses to stand for it.”
Mifepristone and misoprostol now account for 54 percent of all abortions across the country.
Cassandra MacDonald
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