Gov. Hochul, AG James, Sen. Gillibrand and top women leaders in NY unite against abortion access rollbacks

ALBANY — Gov. Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and other top women leaders in the Empire State gathered Friday to rail against the rolling back of reproductive rights in the U.S.

The governor took aim at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy a day earlier and slammed conservative judges for rulings potentially limiting access to the abortion pill mifepristone.

“We’re sick and tired of men telling us what to do,” Hochul said. “These anti-abortion extremists all across the nation are energized, they’re empowered, they think the narrative and the law is now on their side.

“Women across this nation are sick and tired of being treated as though we have no rights,” she added.

The governor said she wanted to assure New Yorkers and women in other states that access to reproductive health care will remain in place in the Empire State.

Earlier in the week, Hochul announced that New York would be creating a stockpile of the medication abortion drug misoprostol in light of a Texas judge’s initial ruling outlawing mifepristone. An appeals court narrowed the ruling but reduced the period of pregnancy when the drug can be taken and said it could not be dispensed by mail.

The Supreme Court said Friday it was temporarily keeping in place federal approval and rules for use of mifepristone while it considers the issues raised in the court challenge.

The nation’s top court could still uphold the ban on mailing the drug and prescribing it to women after seven weeks of pregnancy across the country, including in New York.

Should that happen, Hochul has earmarked $20 million to bolster abortion access in New York.

James, who last year disclosed that she had an abortion almost two decades ago, lamented the loss of access across the country, but said New York will continue to fight for women.

“Here in New York, we believe that when it’s your body, it should always be your choice,” James said. “While male judges and governors across the country attempt to revoke the right to choose, we remain fierce in our protection of New Yorkers’ bodily autonomy, and will do everything in our power as the leaders of this great state to ensure everyone gets the care they need.”

Misoprostol can be used by itself to induce abortion, but it is less effective, and in some cases can lead to complications like bleeding, infection, and damage to the uterus.

The governor said she will also work with the Legislature to pass a law to require that private insurers cover misoprostol when it’s prescribed off-label for abortion.

The measure would also ensure that no provider is charged more for medical malpractice insurance or denied coverage if they prescribe the drug.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) said the Dem-controlled Legislature will continue to protect women’s rights and noted the importance of having women in positions of power.

“New York also proves that when you have women in leadership who understand the impacts on the ground of these issues, real actions are taken to protect our rights,” she said.

All of the New York leaders slammed Florida’s ban on abortions after six weeks, a point at which many people don’t know that they’re pregnant.

“What the governor of Florida did was basically reduce women to having no rights at all because the right to an abortion is a fundamental right,” Hochul said.

Sen. Gillibrand noted that Florida is just the latest Republican-controlled state to severely limit or outright ban abortion access in the wake of last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Reproductive freedom and women’s bodily autonomy is under attack nationwide, which is why New York has taken strong action to protect the rights of patients, to empower reproductive health care providers, and to remain a safe haven for those seeking reproductive health care,” Gillibrand said.