On Jan. 9, New York state Senator Shelly B. Mayer (D) introduced legislation that would allow licensed clinicians in New York to provide telemedicine abortion services to patients located in states banning or severely restricting medication abortion. The bill passed out of committee on Jan. 17 and will soon be introduced in the Assembly by Member Karina Reyes (D). If passed, New York would become the second state after Massachusetts to pass a shield law extending to telemedicine abortion providers serving out-of-state patients.
“S1066 makes it clear that New York State will not be complicit in other states’ reckless attempts to punish providing, receiving, and helping others get the abortion care they need,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “As forced pregnancy states attempt to criminalize pregnant people across the country, New York must find every legal pathway possible to protect those who provide and seek care from retribution and expand abortion access for all.”
