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Dear John,
Next week, the New York Senate and Assembly reconvene and will have the opportunity to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice legislation that has been lingering this session — so they need to hear from you!
One important opportunity is the passage of S7147A, which would extend Medicaid coverage for 12 months following the end of a pregnancy. This would be a critical step to address the maternal mortality crisis in New York and an opportunity to confront a federal administration that does not care about the health of pregnant people or parents.
We also have a chance to build on the success of the Reproductive Health Act with S6632, which would create a voluntary tax contribution fund to support abortion access. The Abortion Access Fund legislation is the result of thinking creatively and holistically about how New York can make abortion access a reality — not only for New Yorkers, but also for those who travel to New York when their own states make it impossible for them to access care.
Finally, the legislature has the opportunity to pass A654, the repealer of a 1976 “Walking While Trans” ban that disproportionately targets and criminalizes LGBTQ+ communities of color (including young people experiencing homelessness), women of color, and immigrants. Enforcement of the law has been disproportionately harmful to transgender women of color.
As amplified calls for racial justice sweep across the country and we struggle to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, we must demand elected officials recognize the urgency of these bills that will make New York safer for all people.
In solidarity,
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Danielle Castaldi-Micca
Vice President, Political and Government Affairs
NIRH Action Fund
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