New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a pair of measures Monday that will supposedly fortify the legal protections for abortion service providers and out-of-state women seeking the procedure within state lines.
In her public address, Hochul hinted at the Supreme Court making a definitive decision on abortion sometime soon, potentially striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling from 1973, which legalized abortion in America.
"My friends, the sky is literally on the verge of falling in the next week or two and that's why we are here today," said Hochul, while vaguely alluding to the nation's highest court. "The right to control our own bodies is supposed to be settled by now, or so we thought."
In a tweet posted later Monday, Hochul was also blunt about how future abortion issues would be handled in New York.
"This is my message to those who are trying to take away the fundamental right to an abortion: Not here. Not now. Not ever."
On May 2, Politico published an initial draft majority opinion from Justice Samuel Alito, suggesting the Supreme Court was on the precipice of legally undoing Roe v. Wade.
Shortly thereafter, Hochul and other New York lawmakers from the Democratic Party signaled they would quickly address abortion measures at the state level.
Later in May, Hochul pledged $35 million in additional funding for abortion providers in New York to expand their facilities and strengthen security before the potential ruling.
All this action coincides with speculation that a new Supreme Court decision might simply place the notion of abortion into the hands of the 50 state governments.
Hochul — who took over as governor after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned from office, and will be competing in the gubernatorial election this fall — has made the abortion issue a significant part of her campaign platform.
However, the New York Catholic Conference and various members of the state Republican Party have objected to the abortion provisions.
"At a time when women and children need more support than ever, we are disappointed to see New York continue to focus on promoting abortion," said Kristen Curran, the government relations director for the Catholic Conference.
Curran added: "This package of bills seeks to encourage abortion tourism, rather than helping women and children who may be in need. As a state that claims to value autonomy and choice, New York should stop presenting abortion as the best and only option for struggling women, and harassing any pro-life pregnancy center that may help women keep their babies.
"This abortion-or-nothing narrative only demeans women."
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