Reproductive Health Act Clears State Senate
The Reproductive Health Act, sponsored by New York State Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, passed the State Legislature yesterday, on the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
The act, comprised of Assembly Bill 21 and Senate Bill 240, places the abortion procedure under New York’s public health law – as opposed to New York’s penal law, which was where it was previously. In doing so, the act codifies the right of a woman to receive an abortion within 24 weeks of conception.
“With the stroke of [Governor Cuomo’s] pen, the Reproductive Health Act is the law of the land, protecting a woman’s right to make crucial decisions about her own body,” Krueger said in a tweet.
Hoylman Says Dr. King Would Be Proud to See GENDA Passed
State Senator Brad Hoylman released a statement on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, commending the state of New York for honoring King’s legacy with the passage of GENDA.
The bill, passed earlier this month, defines gender identity and expression as protected classes, entitling transgender and non-binary people to the same protections offered to racial, ethnic and religious groups, among others.
“With the passage of GENDA and a ban on so-called gay conversion therapy, the legislature affirmed that all New Yorkers are entitled to respect, dignity, and equal protection under the law,” Hoylman said in a statement. “As we honor Dr. King’s legacy today, we must remember that the LGBTQ struggle for dignity and recognition has never been a solitary pursuit. The freedoms we enjoy today are built off the vigorous and sustained efforts of Dr. King, and so many other civil rights pioneers from the African-American community.”
Corey Johnson Disparages Supreme Court’s Proposed Military Trans Ban
City Councilman and Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) released a statement yesterday, voicing his disappointment with the US Supreme Court for allowing the trans military ban to go forward.
Yesterday, it was announced that the Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump’s proposal, which bars transgender people from serving in the military, to go into effect. Johnson, the first LGBT person to hold the office of Council Speaker, was incensed.
“I am deeply disappointed by the Supreme Court’s preliminary ruling to allow this ban to go forward,” Johnson said in a statement. “To all the Americans whose efforts to enlist are being denigrated, I say thank you for your strength, courage and willingness to serve. To the Trans community as a whole, New York has your back, now and always.”
