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Some 26 states are poised to ban abortion if the U.S. Supreme
Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized it
nationwide. A leaked draft opinion by the court showed that its
conservative majority intends to eliminate the constitutional
right to abortion. A final ruling in that case is expected
shortly.
New York's legislation shields providers and patients from a
wave of new anti-abortion laws in some conservative states, led
by Texas, that allow private citizens to sue anyone who aids or
abets an abortion. The New York legislation allows providers and
patients to file claims against anyone who tries to bring
charges against them.
The new legislation also prohibits state courts from cooperating
in civil or criminal lawsuits stemming from abortions that take
place legally in New York, and prohibits law enforcement from
cooperating with anti-abortion states' investigations into New
York abortions.
The measures take effect immediately.
"Today, we are taking action to protect our service providers
from the retaliatory actions of anti-abortion states and ensure
that New York will always be a safe harbor for those seeking
reproductive healthcare," Hochul, a Democrat, said in a
statement.
New York, which has long been a haven for abortion access, is
one of several liberal states expected to become a more frequent
destination for out-of-state abortion patients as more states
restrict it.
It is one of several Democrat-led states that have moved to
protect abortion access this year, while conservative states
have hastened to curb it.
(Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Mark Porter)
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