Oppose

This bill, known as the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPP), was first introduced by former Governor Eliot Spitzer in 2008 and was carried in the State Senate by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D – Yonkers). The bill was deemed too radical for even the liberal Democratic leadership in the State Assembly and never found a sponsor in that house --until now. In mid-June 2010, Asm. Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) became the sponsor of the Assembly's companion bill known as A11484.

S5808/A11484 is on Family Planning Advocates' legislative agenda. The Senate President Pro Tem, Senator Malcolm Smith (D – Queens), has pledged his support to advance Planned Parenthood’s priorities.

The Reproductive Health Act (RHA), as it is currently being identified as, would be the greatest expansion of abortion rights since Roe v. Wade. The bill has many flaws, including violation of religious freedoms and removing what few restrictions exist on abortion, ultimately endangering women. RHA would:

• Establish a fundamental right to abortion.
• Allow even full-term abortions.
• Not require abortions be done in a hospital, even after viability.
• Not require a physician, prior to viability, only a healthcare practitioner.
• Remove five abortion crimes from the penal law.
• Remove unborn children from the definition of homicide.
• Permit females of any age access to any form of contraception, including the dangerous RU486.
• Not provide a religious exemption for religious medical facilities or employees, thereby requiring that religious hospitals must perform abortions.

In summary, under this legislation, abortion would be decriminalized, less safe and more available. It undermines parental rights and authority. It prohibits a woman’s right to know and her informed consent.

For these and other reasons, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms and the thousands of churches it represents strongly urge the defeat of this legislation.

To take action on this bill, please click here.