The United States Supreme Court recently abolished the nationwide right to abortion. That means American women are dependent on the state in which they live whether they are allowed to have an abortion or not. New York now wants to enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in state law, reports the Volkskrant† A bill drafted for this purpose was approved by the Senate on Friday.
With the US Supreme Court ruling, each state can now decide for itself whether it allows abortion or not. About 20 states are considering an abortion ban, but it now appears that about half of the states controlled by Democrats will still allow abortions.
After the Supreme Court ruling, a dozen progressive states – in addition to New York, including Vermont, Maryland, California and Washington – already indicated that they want to protect the right to abortion.
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New York is the first state to take real steps. With the ‘Equal Rights Amendment’, the politically progressive state wants to protect rights legally. However, the legal text for this goes further than that, reports The New York Times† It prohibits the government from discriminating on many characteristics, including pregnancy.
The Senate approved the amendment. The state House of Representatives has yet to approve the text. After that, the population can vote on the law during a referendum. The law could take effect from 2024 if passed.
Biden speaks of ‘tragic mistake’
US President Joe Biden called the removal of the national right to abortion a “tragic mistake”. He said that “women’s health and lives are at risk” because states can now decide for themselves whether abortion is allowed and what rules are attached to it.
The president said women who live in states where abortion will soon be banned can travel to other states where abortion is allowed.
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