Today, the New Jersey Assembly Health Committee passed its version of a bill shielding providers of reproductive and transgender healthcare from prosecution. The Senate Health Committee passed the companion bill on Monday, meaning these critical protections will soon be up for a full floor vote in the legislature.
This legislation is called a “shield” for reason – it protects New Jersey’s providers of reproductive and gender affirming care so they can continue providing the medically necessary, best practice healthcare their patients need.We heard the importance and urgency of this legislation at hearings this week, from parents, providers and most importantly New Jerseyans who would be directly impacted by losing access the healthcare they need. No one should fear that accessing and providing lifesaving healthcare in New Jersey will result in legal retaliation from another state.As we push back against the attacks on gender affirming care and reproductive rights, New Jersey joins Hawaii in showing that we can fight back and win — a state can and should value and protect the right of individuals to control our own bodies.We are grateful to all of the lawmakers, policy experts, advocates, and citizens who have gotten this bill this far. Trans and gender diverse New Jerseyans, people who can get pregnant, and our state’s healthcare providers are one step closer to legal equality because of your efforts. It’s time to get the bill to a floor vote and on the Governor’s desk as soon as possible.
Finally, in light of the federal criminal subpoena of NYU Langone’s records, we worked overtime this week with our coalition of senators, assemblymembers, policymakers, and activists to expand the final version of the legislation to include protections against unfounded federal subpoenas.