This Monday, October 28th, four bills in the Reproductive Freedom and Health Equity Bill Package, endorsed by our Thrive NJ coalition, were approved by the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
The Committee advanced four bills:
- S.3492 – Creates “Reproductive Health Care Access Fund” to strengthen access to reproductive health care. This funding will be used to train health care professionals who provide reproductive care services and will establish grants and loans for eligible reproductive care facilities to enhance their security and operations. (Approved 5-3)
- S.3493 – Requires affirmative written consent for certain entities to disclose an individual’s medical information regarding reproductive health care services, with limited exceptions, unless disclosure is necessary to provide those services. (Approved 5-3)
- S.3494 – Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to develop and implement a comprehensive reproductive health services plan, which includes access to contraception, testing, treatment, and prevention education for sexually transmitted infections, prenatal care, and information on where to obtain abortion services. It also mandates county colleges to establish a referral network for reproductive healthcare services. (Approved 5-3)
- S.3496 – Provides for voluntary contributions for taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support reproductive health care services. (Approved 7-1)
“UU Faith Action fully supports legislation expanding insurance coverage for reproductive health care,” said Carol Loscalzo and Jami Thall, Co-Chairs of the UU FaithAction NJ Reproductive Justice Task Force. “As Unitarian Universalists we affirm the right to bodily autonomy, which includes access to abortion care and the full range of reproductive healthcare options. Breaking down all barriers to care must be accomplished for everyone in our State. It’s a matter of health, of safety, of religious freedom, and, most importantly, of justice.”
“Today we continue two years of dedication to fulfill our promise to protect and expand access to reproductive care because everyone deserves the right to make their own personal healthcare decisions without fear, interference, or barriers,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, who sponsored the bill package with Senate President Nicholas Scutari. “These bills raise the bar for how reproductive health care services are funded and delivered, creating a more equitable system where high-quality, private, and safe care is accessible to every community in New Jersey.”
“The reversal of Roe v. Wade has fractured our nation, creating two Americas — one where reproductive care is severely restricted in certain states, and another where it remains a protected right,” said Senate President Scutari. “New Jersey is not only affirming its commitment to reproductive rights but solidifying itself as a national leader in the delivery of these services.”