New York Senate Standstill

Women’s reproductive health rights are hanging in the balance in the New York State. Senators have two weeks to debate several important pieces of legislation. According to NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin, the Reproductive Health Act is designed to “protect the fundamental right of a women and her doctor to make private medical decisions.” The Reproduce Health Act is “landmark legislation [designed to] codify Roe v. Wade in New York,” and would “clarify that a woman would be allowed to have an abortion if her health or life was endangered.” In the works for over three years, the Act is supported by many pro-choice advocacy groups, chiefly NARAL Pro-Choice New York. These groups have secured voting commitments from 34 (out of 62) senators across party lines.

The Senate was scheduled to vote on the bill last Wednesday, but Monday’s “coup” by a few anti-choice Senators has blocked the debate and has the potential to derail the Act’s passage in this session. New Yorkers have expressed their support: 75% of citizens support the Reproductive Health Act. The state needs to get its act together and get down to the business of enacting what the people want – reproductive choice.

Here at WCF, we are proud to support four pro-choice New York politicians in the 2009-2010 election season, and have full confidence that they will continue to fight for reproductive rights in their state.

- Kirsten Gillibrand: United States Senate
- Melinda Katz: New York City Comptroller
- Kathleen Rice: District Attorney, Nassau County
- Leslie Crocker Snyder: Manhattan District Attorney

This post was submitted by Julia Burke, one of WCF’s Summer 2009 Politics and Education Fellows.