Jun 20, 2023 - Politics & Policy

New York to protect abortion providers from legal action in other states

Rebecca Falconer

Abortion rights demonstrators gather in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, New York City, in January to mark the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade, that was overturned by the court last year. Photo: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The New York State Legislature passed a bill Tuesday to protect abortion providers against litigation from states where the practice is banned.

Why it matters: The measure is in response to laws in Republican-led states like Texas, which bans most abortions early on in pregnancy and encourages private citizens to sue those believed to be involved in obtaining an abortion, per Axios' Oriana González.

It builds on earlier legislative protections introduced last year by expanding safeguards against litigation to telehealth providers, per a statement from New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Karines Reyes Tuesday.
Abortion providers told the New York Times they plan to mail abortion pills to states with abortion bans as soon as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signs the bill, as expected.

What they're saying: "As a medical professional myself, I am proud to sponsor this critical piece of legislation to fully protect abortion providers using telemedicine," Reyes said in a statement.

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New York to protect abortion providers from legal action in other states

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