Office of the Governor | Governor Murphy Applauds Biden-Harris Administration in Discussing Importance of State Protections for Reproductive Rights

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Within the wake of the U.S. Supreme Courtroom overturning Roe v. Wade, Vice President Kamala Harris at the moment participated in a roundtable in Atlantic Metropolis with Performing Lawyer Common Matt Platkin, state legislators, and advocates in regards to the significance of state-level protections for reproductive rights. Whereas many different states are making abortion unlawful or closely proscribing entry to reproductive well being care, New Jersey has codified reproductive rights into state regulation and brought extra steps to each defend and increase entry to abortions.

“The Supreme Courtroom took a longtime constitutional proper from the folks,” stated Vice President Kamala Harris. “It is a nationwide well being care disaster. Each girl ought to have the ability to make choices about their our bodies with out authorities interference.”

“New Jersey is ready to function a nationwide mannequin for the protection of reproductive freedom in these turbulent and divisive instances,” stated Governor Murphy. “Our Administration is proud to accomplice with Vice President Harris, who has been an unwavering champion within the battle for reproductive rights. We’ll proceed to guard this basic freedom in our state by increasing entry to abortion and shielding each sufferers and suppliers. I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for taking motion to guard abortion rights and for becoming a member of us at the moment to spotlight the significance of reproductive well being care rights on the state degree for anybody searching for these vital companies inside our borders.”

Vice President Harris, Performing Lawyer Common Platkin, Senate Majority Chief Teresa Ruiz, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, ACLU-NJ Marketing campaign Strategist Alejandra Sorto, and President and CEO at Deliberate Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey Roslyn Rogers Collins mentioned steps that may be taken by states like New Jersey to assist their very own residents and Individuals from neighboring states entry the reproductive companies they want.

Governor Murphy signed the Reproductive Freedom Act into regulation in January 2022 – codifying the best to an abortion into state regulation. In July, the Governor signed two extra payments into regulation to guard reproductive well being care suppliers and out-of-state residents searching for reproductive companies in New Jersey from skilled or authorized repercussions.

To boost equitable entry to reproductive well being care, the New Jersey Division of Banking and Insurance coverage was additionally directed earlier this yr to conduct a research concerning the necessity for rules to make sure medical health insurance protection of abortions. Upon conclusion of the research, the Division might undertake rules requiring State insurance coverage plan to offer protection for abortion.

The Fiscal Yr 2023 State funds additionally included funding to assist reproductive companies in New Jersey, together with $10 million for reproductive well being care services, $5 million for reproductive well being care medical coaching, $5 million for reproductive well being care safety measures, and a complete of $30 million to assist household planning.

On the federal degree, the Biden Administration has issued an govt order to guard and increase entry to remedy abortion, contraception, and emergency medical care whereas safeguarding delicate well being data, supporting suppliers, establishing an interagency taskforce, and extra.  

“It was an honor to hitch Vice President Harris, state legislators, and advocates at the moment in Atlantic Metropolis to debate how New Jersey is a mannequin for the nation in defending entry to reproductive rights and abortion care,” stated Performing Lawyer Common Platkin. “Below Governor Murphy’s management, we’ll at all times arise for reproductive rights.”

“As we proceed to grapple with the guts wrenching Supreme Courtroom resolution overturning Roe v Wade, I’m grateful for the Vice President’s steadfast dedication to defending reproductive rights. Right here in New Jersey now we have enacted a number of measures to safeguard entry to reproductive well being care, not just for our residents however for anybody searching for care right here. Whereas we are able to solely management what goes on in our state, we consider strongly within the basic proper to bodily autonomy and the concept each particular person in want of abortion care ought to get it – safely and legally,” stated Senate Majority Chief Teresa Ruiz. “In these unsure instances, I’m hopeful different states will observe our lead in solidifying a girl’s proper to decide on and I’m assured President Biden and Vice President Harris will proceed to do every part of their energy to guard the well being and wellbeing of girls across the nation.”

A lady’s proper to make private well being decisions needs to be non-negotiable,”  stated Assemblywoman Mila Jasey. “The Supreme Courtroom resolution in Roe v. Wade over 50 years in the past ensured that for all ladies. Right here in New Jersey, we took a preemptive step to codify ladies’s reproductive well being rights into State regulation with the signing of the Freedom of Reproductive Alternative Act earlier this yr. We should additionally take motion on the federal degree to make sure this nation will stay a spot the place all ladies are in a position to train their reproductive rights and make vital and extremely private household planning choices freely.”

“The U.S. Supreme Courtroom’s resolution to overturn Roe v. Wade and its practically 50-year constitutional safety on the best to abortion is the end result of decades-long assaults to dismantle reproductive rights in the US,” stated ACLU-NJ Marketing campaign Strategist Alejandra Sorto. “As anti-abortion politicians transfer to strip tens of millions of individuals throughout the nation of the basic human proper to reproductive autonomy, states like New Jersey should proceed main with daring motion to take away obstacles that push abortion care out of attain for a lot too many, together with communities most harmed by systemic racism. We name on lawmakers to go abortion entry laws and welcome each alternative to assist make New Jersey a nationwide chief in reproductive freedom for all.”