Commentary: Women need benefits of the Reproductive Health Law (Albany Times Union)
Albany Times Union, June 18, 2017
Commentary: Women need benefits of the Reproductive Health Law
Farah Diaz-Tello is a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Sex and Law Committee and Senior Counsel for the Self-Induced Abortion Legal Team.
“Our current political moment has created fear and uncertainty in some communities, but it has also heralded unexpected opportunities. With a U.S. Attorney General who has publicly called for a surge in the “war on drugs” and a return to “broken windows” policing, New York lawmakers are rallying to position our state as a leader in sensible criminal justice reform, and rethinking punitive approaches and over-policing. In this context, the time is ripe to finally decriminalize abortion in New York state. Given New York’s progressive reputation, it may come as a surprise that abortion is still considered a crime; the safe, legal abortion available in our state arises through an exception to that crime. New York’s abortion law was a leader when passed in 1970, but has not been overhauled since. Worse yet, ours is one of only seven states with an antiquated “self-abortion” law that punishes women who intentionally induce a miscarriage, even early in pregnancy. But, there is a fix. The Reproductive Health Act, currently before the Senate, would repeal the crime of “self-abortion” and move abortion into the Public Health Law where it belongs.”
