New York State has enacted new legislation meant to protect abortion rights against any rollbacks from the U.S. Supreme Court or the Trump administration -- and critics are fuming.
鈥淣ew York abortion law allows for barbaric butchering of the innocent,鈥� a headline in a Jan. 27 opinion piece in The Washington Times read. 鈥淣ew York鈥檚 new abortion law is evil codified,鈥� opined an Associated Press columnist today.
The new law, known as the Reproductive Health Act, is meant to safeguard reproductive rights in the Empire State that were enshrined by Roe v. Wade: the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed American women鈥檚 constitutional right to access abortion. With the balance of power in the Supreme Court now tipped in favour of conservative judges, following the Oct. 2018 confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, many abortion rights activists now legitimately fear that Roe v. Wade could be overturned or altered.
鈥淭he threat to safe, legal abortion in this country is not hypothetical,鈥� Dr. Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, . 鈥�(T)here are 15 cases one step away from the Supreme Court, meaning we face a situation where one in three women of reproductive age could be living in states where abortion is criminalized and outlawed.鈥�
Prior to his 2016 election victory, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that he is 鈥減ro-life鈥� and promised to stack the Supreme Court with judges that share that stance. During a Sept. interview with Geraldo Rivera, Trump called Roe v. Wade 鈥渁 controversy that I鈥檓 going to leave to the courts.鈥�
THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT
The went into effect on Jan. 22 -- the 46th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. For New Yorkers, the law essentially solidifies abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade and other court rulings against any potential Supreme Court or White House actions. It also allows for late-term abortions if a pregnancy is no longer viable or a woman鈥檚 health is at risk. A previous state law, passed in 1970, only allowed for abortions after 24 weeks if a woman鈥檚 life was in jeopardy.
In a , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the Reproductive Health Act will protect 鈥渨omen's reproductive rights no matter what the federal government does.鈥�
鈥淭his is a victory for all New Yorkers,鈥� Cuomo added.
鈥楤ABIES TO BE SLAUGHTERED鈥�
Backlash from conservatives and the religious right has been vehement.
Writing for , columnist Rebecca Hagelin said, as Cuomo 鈥渟igned the legislation, Evil cheered what was actually the signing of death warrants for countless babies who can be aborted at any time, for any reason, through the ninth month of pregnancy.鈥� In Hagelin鈥檚 opinion piece, she describes abortion as 鈥渢he great American holocaust,鈥� and claims that the new law would allow 鈥渇ully developed preborn babies to be slaughtered even on what would be their birth days.鈥�
Such sentiments were echoed in a , who wrote that, now, 鈥渋n New York there are no protections for the unborn at any stage before they safely exit the womb.鈥�
鈥淛ust passing the law is bad enough, but they didn鈥檛 simply pass it. They celebrated it,鈥� Larson wrote. 鈥淲hen the governor of one of our nation鈥檚 most prominent and important states celebrates allowing the deliberate death of innocent fully-grown babies, it is heart wrenching.鈥�
Because of New York鈥檚 Reproductive Health Act, Larson concluded, 鈥渢he dystopian hell we鈥檝e been fearing is already here.鈥�
Following the signing of the Reproductive Health Act, Catholic bishops in places such as Tennessee and Texas even called for Cuomo to be excommunicated from the church -- calls that Cuomo dismissed, saying that, despite his Catholic faith, elected leaders cannot legislate religious beliefs.
A further accused Cuomo of making 鈥渙ur beloved state鈥� a more dangerous one for women and their unborn babies.鈥�
鈥淟et us all pray for the conversion of heart for those who celebrate this tragic moment in the history of our state,鈥� they added.
鈥榃E CHEER THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE鈥�
Planned Parenthood, a U.S. based reproductive health non-profit, celebrated the passing of the 鈥済roundbreaking鈥� Reproductive Health Act in 鈥渢he face of constant federal attacks and a new anti-Roe v. Wade majority on the Supreme Court.鈥�
The legislation, Planned Parenthood of New York City president and CEO Laura McQuade added, is 鈥渉istoric.鈥�
鈥淲ith passage of the Reproductive Health Act鈥� New York can finally grow to be a model of what sexual and reproductive health care should be, especially with mounting attacks on our health and rights from Washington,鈥� .
鈥淓ven if Roe were someday to be overturned, abortion throughout a woman鈥檚 pregnancy would still be legal in New York State,鈥� a . 鈥淲e cheer the New York State Legislature for passing the Reproductive Health Act, and pledge to do our part in keeping abortion safe and accessible.鈥�
With files from The Associated Press
