Women in states banning abortion pills just got a break from New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The Democratic governor signed legislation to protect doctors who prescribe abortion pills to patients in states where the procedure is banned.
THE Associated press reports:
A year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the nation’s abortion law, the law prohibits New York officials from cooperating with certain legal actions in states where abortion is banned, such as arrests or extraditions. New York joins several other states with similar telehealth “protective laws.”
“Extremist lawmakers in other states can stop their health care providers from providing abortion pills. If this is your state, I’m sorry for your constituents. But they can’t stop us. They can’t stop our suppliers,” Hochul, a Democrat, said at a bill signing ceremony.
A year after the Dobbs decision, 14 states ban abortion during pregnancy, with a few exceptions. Other states have passed deep restrictions. A total of 25 million women of childbearing age now live in states where abortion is banned or with stricter restrictions.
New York has already passed protections for healthcare professionals who provide abortion care to patients traveling from states with bans or restrictions. But Hochul and lawmakers extended protections to telehealth services at a time when more than half of abortions in the United States are performed with medication.
Ever since Roe was ousted, Republicans have tried to ban abortion altogether, and that includes Lindsey Graham. Stripping women of their bodily autonomy is popular with Republicans, but not with the public. There is, according to the polls, a lot of support for abortion.