Wednesday, January 18, 2017

In Message to GOP, Assembly Passes Two Reproductive Rights Bills



Backed by a large number of his Democratic conference and advocates, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Tuesday afternoon warned of “a slow and steady erosion” of reproductive rights as he announced that the chamber would pass two measures designed to protect abortion availability and enhance access to contraception — issues that are once again back in the news as Republicans take control of the gears of government in Washington, D.C., and President Donald Trump prepares to name a Supreme Court justice who could play a role in undoing four decades of uneasy consensus on the right to abortion.

The chamber passed the latest version of the Reproductive Health Act, which codifies the protections of the high court’s Roe v. Wade decisions in state law, Tuesday evening by a 96-46 vote. Members then passed the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act, which would require all health insurers provide cost-free contraceptive coverage as a part of their insurance policies, later Tuesday night by a similarly wide margin.

The second bill was introduced by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: timesunion.com (via The Empire Report)

No comments: