The law falls short of what some advocates had demanded, however, and doesnt include a proposal that would have required health insurance companies to cover abortions and birth control at no cost, out of pocket. More meaningful reform is needed, though, so that everyone has access to this time-sensitive care, regardless of their income or immigration status, Reynertson added. Abortion care is just as much about economic justice as it is about reproductive freedom, saidSheilaReynertson, Senior Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective. Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Reproductive health and the ability for women to make medical decisions about their own bodies are fundamental rights that should never be taken away, Oliver said. Alongside recently retired state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a Bergen County Democrat and longtime abortion rights advocate, Murphy celebrated the move as the fulfillment of his campaign promise to protect a womans right to choose. Planned Parenthood is eager to continue working to ensure that abortion is not only a right, but accessible for all New Jerseyans, regardless of their immigration status, insurance coverage, or income.. The reality is that, for far too many families, carrying an unplanned pregnancy can have devastating financial consequences. Nikita Biryukovcontributed to this story. In January, he signed a billforcing taxpayers to pay an additional $9.5 million to the Planned Parenthood abortion chainin their state. [12] During the 1990s, Steven C. Brigham opened his first abortion clinic in the state in Wyomissing. With this legislation, if Roe v. Wade were overturned, the right to reproductive choice would be protected in New Jersey. Perhaps the legislators who rushed through this Act in the waning moments of their terms did not want citizens to understand fully its inhuman and lethal consequences. [1], In 2017, 48,110 abortions were provided in New Jersey, though not all abortions that occurred in New Jersey were provided to state residents: Some patients may have traveled from other states, and some New Jersey residents may have traveled to another state for an abortion. According to the ACLU-NJ, the law will protect abortion rights by expanding existing state constitutional legal protections recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court. BlueWaveNJlooks forward to continuing to work with the administration and the legislature to ensure that everyone in our state can access and afford all reproductive services., The National Council of Jewish Women, New Jersey Sections, (NCJW-NJ) applaud the passage of S49/A6260,Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which codifies in statute the full array of reproductive rights, including abortion, and thanks Governor Murphy for his steadfast support,said the National Council of Jewish Women, New Jersey Sections. This bill and the rhetoric weve heard from the other side is: any abortion, at any time, for any reason, on any one, paid for by the taxpayer., Assemblyman Antwan McClellan There is a troubling disparity with African Americans and white Americans as far as abortion is concerned. Medicaid covers abortion. Its purpose was to try to reduce the number of abortions at the hospital performed for therapeutic reasons. These laws expand and protect reproductive freedom in New Jersey at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether to limit or overturn the ruling in Roe v. Wade. Does this bill have everything New Jersey needs? The work is far from over, and we look forward to continuing our advocacy alongside Governor Murphy to ensure that every New Jerseyan can access the reproductive health care they need., "If we are to achieve equality of the sexes, we must trust women and allow them to control their reproductive cycles without governmental interference,said Anjali Mehrotra, President, National Organization for Women of New Jersey. attended the outdoor bill-signing ceremony. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Legislators behind the effort have argued that its urgently needed to make sure there is a safety net in New Jersey in case federal abortion rights are overturned. Thereafter, abortion is legal only if necessary to protect or preserve the life of the mother. That year, 23% of women in the state aged 1544 lived in a county without an abortion clinic. We thank Governor Murphy and the bill sponsors for taking a stand in support of reproductive autonomy, and we look forward to working with the administration on ways to improve access to abortion care for all., BlueWaveNJcelebrates New Jerseys passage of the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act,said Marcia Marley, President of BlueWave. Gov. [22] In 1990, 1,042,000 women in the state faced the risk of an unintended pregnancy. Will his clinics stay open? Thats how serious and important and significant this issue is. Heres what the law means for residents of New Jersey. We are deeply grateful to Governor Murphy, his staff, and legislators --particularly Senator Loretta Weinberg-- for their tenacity in the negotiations. First trimester abortions cost about $470, which is when 91% of abortions are performed, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act is a comprehensive bill that guarantees women will continue to have the right to make their own personal decisions on their reproductive care, regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules,said Senator Linda Greenstein. [13] While working at his clinics, Brigham performed a number of botched abortions, including late-term abortions. This law departs from the fundamental Catholic teaching that all life is sacred from conception to natural death. Lawmakers in New Jersey have, on the last day of their legislative session, voted to pass a bill which expands abortion access in the The Democratic lawmakers wrote: Everyone has the right to reproductive choice, yet there have been far too many attempts throughout our country to control the decisions a person can make in that regard. Marie Tasy, executive director of New Jersey Right to Life, slammed the bill as disgraceful because it would eliminate language allowing prosecution for infanticide. We have failed as a society when a response to any pregnancy is fear rather than joy. I had spent eight years introducing that bill each year, and getting it passed each year, then getting it vetoed by the then-governor of the state of New Jersey, Weinberg said, referring to Chris Christie. No, but it represents an important and essential foundation we can build on. Phil Murphy, after signing legislation codifying abortion rights in NJ. The law was passed in anticipation of a possible Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which was considered likely after the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the court. Google Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. A pet project of pro-abortion Gov. [2], In September 2018, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker released documents related to Brett Kavanaugh's position on abortion when Kavanaugh was serving as a staff member in President George W. Bush's White House. Making it easier and more likely for women to access birth control is a crucial component of the family planning services our state is taking steps to protect., Access to reproductive health care and a womans right to choose are fundamental rights in New Jersey,said New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. [24] In 2017, the state had an infant mortality rate of 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. Legal challenges to the reproductive rights of Americans, which have steadily increased in recent years, threaten to limit access to family planning services. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote to lawmakers Thursday warning that the amendment would become a powerful tool against pro-life abortion laws.. If the study finds this to be true as organizations like the ACLU-NJ have argued the department may enact rules that would require state-regulated plans, like Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the programs that cover public teachers and state employees, to pick up all costs. Planned Parenthood, the Cherry Hill Womens Center, the ACLU of New Jersey and New Jersey Policy Perspective all support the legislation, as does First Lady Tammy Murphy. WebIn addition to guaranteeing the right to an abortion in state law, a spokesman for Murphy says the New Jersey proposal would remove some restrictions on abortion that They asked to consider scientific opinions that suggest a fetus has the capacity to feel pain at 20 weeks. The New Jersey state legislature gave final approval to a bill yesterday that will legalize killing babies in abortions up to birth. Introduction In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which returned the power to states to regulate, even prohibit, abortion. Our journalism needs your support. The bill passed the New Jersey Today, we are codifying those rights into law in New Jersey.. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics. Abortion rights in New Jersey had until now been protected by case law, not state statute. WebThe allowable circumstances are generally when an abortion is necessary to protect the patient's life or health. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. [23] In 2014, 61% of adults said in a poll by the Pew Research Center that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. DEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy. He is joined by, from left< former state Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, and former Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg.Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Adva. Some states prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy with few exceptions, others permit it up to a certain point in a woman's pregnancy, while others allow abortion throughout a In addition, Murphy signed a separate law (S413) requiring medical professionals in New Jersey who prescribe contraceptives to write prescriptions for 12 months at a time, and for state-regulated insurers to cover the cost. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable. 3 of these laws apply only to postviability abortions. [2], In 2017, some 33% of New Jersey counties had no clinics that provided abortions, and 26% of New Jersey women lived in those counties.[1]. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. It would invalidate all current and future laws that restrict abortions, and it would allow non-doctors to abort unborn babies,according to New Jersey Right to Life. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The stalled bill, the Reproductive Freedom Act (S-3030), would protect and expand access to prenatal care, abortion, birth control, and other reproductive health care in New Jersey by removing financial barriers and non-medical regulations that block access to care. This legislation is critical to protecting residents of our state from infringements on their reproductive rights, regardless of what happens at the federal level. Phil Murphy. All rights reserved (About Us). Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. "[4], By the end of the 1800s, all states in the Union except Louisiana had therapeutic exceptions in their legislative bans on abortions. In 2022, Gov. The new legislation comes amid concerns that the US Supreme Court may overturn Roe v.Wade, leaving it up to individual states to Baby lives matter, a sign read. NEW JERSEY A womans right to have an abortion is now cemented in New Jersey state code. WebNew Hampshire abortion law states that abortions are legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy; after which it is prohibited with no exception for rape, incest, or fetal The statue regards her as the victim of the crime, not as the criminal, as the object of protection, rather than of the punishment. TEANECK Governor Phil Murphy, alongside Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, former Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, former Assemblywoman ValerieVainieriHuttle,and Alexis McGill Johnson, President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and many other legislative sponsors and advocates, today signed the historic Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act (S49/A6260), which codifies the constitutional right to freedom of reproductive choice in New Jersey.