Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Adams signed the bill package into law on Friday.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Friday signed legislation to protect access to safe and affordable abortions in New York City.
Coming on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that effectively overturned Roe v. Wade, the package of six bills will strengthen abortion protections, make medication abortion free at all New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) clinics, and improve public health education so every New Yorker and person visiting New York City for reproductive health care knows their rights and their options for receiving care.
The six bills are:
- Int. 465-A requires DOHMH to annually report the number of births and abortions provided in the city each year both for individuals who were residents of New York City at the time of such birth or abortion and for those who were not residents. DOHMH will also be required to assess the ability of licensed medical providers in the city to provide reproductive health care, identify any challenges faced by licensed medical providers to provide reproductive health care, and make recommendations for increasing the capacity of such providers to provide reproductive health care.
- Int. 466-A prohibits city agencies from using city resources — including, but not limited to, time spent by employees and the use of city property — to detain persons for performing or aiding with abortions or to cooperate with out-of-state entities related to abortions performed in New York state.
- Int. 474-A requires the city to conduct a public education program to inform the public about the protections available to people and providers accessing reproductive health care facilities. It also requires the city provide information about the protections available in the city Human Rights Law (HRL) related to reproductive health decisions and stopping discriminatory harassment. The public education program will also provide information about a person’s right to bring a civil action for violating the HRL or accessing the reproductive health care facilities law, as well as how to access resources to find comprehensive reproductive health care and privacy protections for people accessing reproductive health care.
- Int. 475-A creates a private right of action for interference with reproductive or endocrine medical care.
- Int. 506-A requires the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to implement an outreach and education campaign on facilities that deceptively advertise or are otherwise misleading when offering reproductive health services.
- Int. 507-A requires DOHMH to provide access to U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medicine for medication abortions, at no cost to patients, at health clinics operated by DOHMH. DOHMH would provide such medication to patients who seek to terminate their pregnancy, when the use of such medication is indicated and in accordance with the medically reasonable and good faith professional judgment of such patients’ medical providers. DOHMH would also provide counseling and timely referrals to other health facilities and qualified family planning providers, if needed, for other services.
“As a society, we must continue working toward protecting women’s reproductive rights and their right to choose. I believe that it is important for everyone to be able to make informed decisions about their own bodies and have access to their health care needs. With the official overturning of Roe v. Wade, we can see firsthand the attack on reproductive freedom,” said City Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans).
