November 8, 2021
As the New Jersey State legislature goes back into session this morning, more than 75 New Jersey based organizations have signed on to a statement declaring their support for the Reproductive Freedom Act urging lawmakers to take action and pass the bill in its entirety before the close of the current legislative session. Introduced in October 2020, the Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848) is a proactive bill that both ensures the right to abortion in New Jersey and removes barriers to access, especially for our most vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Rights are Not Enough — We Must Advance Equity by Removing Barriers to Reproductive Health Care
Pass the FULL Reproductive Freedom Act NOW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 8, 2021
We, the undersigned, stand together to demand that New Jersey do more than codify existing abortion rights. A rights declaration, without addressing barriers, fails to ensure that everyone — no matter their income, zip code, or immigration status — can get an abortion in our state.
Nearly 50,000 New Jerseyans will decide to have an abortion this year. Some will be forced to travel long distances or struggle to raise the funds needed to pay for their time-sensitive abortion care. Some individuals in need of care later in pregnancy will need to travel out of state to access services that could have been provided safely and compassionately in New Jersey. For some, these obstacles will prove to be insurmountable, pushing care completely out of reach.
At its core, the Reproductive Freedom Act (S3030/A4848) was designed to eliminate these unnecessary barriers to care. Choosing instead to simply “codify” rights for those with adequate resources is not enough. And it certainly doesn’t advance health equity. We will not leave any community behind; that includes our young people, people who earn low wages, people living in rural areas, undocumented immigrants, LGBTQIA+ folks, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by systemic racism and reproductive oppression.
As lawmakers return to Trenton, we urge them to stand for reproductive rights, equity, and access. One in four women will have an abortion in their lifetime, and that includes many of their constituents, their colleagues, their friends and family, as well as those sitting with them in their places of worship. We urge lawmakers to respect patients and providers whose lived experiences demonstrate the need for abortion care throughout pregnancy. We urge them to reject abortion stigma and the demonization of those seeking and providing abortion care.
At this critical moment in history, New Jersey needs legislation that both protects and expands access to reproductive health care. This means declaring the right to reproductive health care for ALL New Jerseyans, but more importantly, removing remaining barriers so that they can better access and receive medical care and qualified clinicians can provide that care without political interference.
A bill that continues to perpetuate health care access inequities is unacceptable. Now we are asking our elected representatives — are you with us?
SIGNED BY:
ACLU of New Jersey
Action Together New Jersey
All of Us or None – South Jersey
American Friends and Service Committee Prison Watch Program
BlueWaveNJ
Catholics for Choice
Cherry Hill Women’s Center
Democratic Women of Ocean County
Garden State Equality
Gloucester County NAACP #2345
HiTOPS
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, Rutgers Law School – Camden chapter
Immigrant Rights Collective – Rutgers Newark
Indivisible Lambertville New Hope
La Casa Dominicana NJ
Latino Action Network Foundation
Lazos America unida
League of Women Voters of New Jersey
LGBTQ+ Caucus: Rutgers Law School
Livingston High School National Organization of Women Campus Action Network
Make the Road New Jersey’s Youth Power Project
Medical Students For Choice (MSFC)
Melinated Moms
MomsRising
National Association of Social Workers – NJ Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women, Bergen County Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section
National Council of Jewish Women, Jersey Hills Section
National Council of Jewish Women, West Morris Section
National Organization for Women of New Jersey
New Jersey Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives
New Jersey Black Women Physicians Association
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence
New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition
New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
New Jersey Policy Perspective
New Jersey Tenants Organization
NJ 11th For Change
NJ LGBTQ Democrats
NJ State Industrial Union Council
NJ5 Coalition
North Jersey Sierra Group
Northern NJ NOW
Occupy Bergen County
Ocean County NOW
Ocean County Young Democrats
People’s Organization for Progress
Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey
RAC-NJ (New Jersey Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism)
Reproductive Health Access Project- New Jersey Chapter
Reproductive Justice Team of The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood
Rutgers Camden Muslim Law Student Association
Rutgers Cannabis Law Association
Rutgers Law Camden Immigration Law Society
Rutgers Law School Camden’s Disability Law Student Association
Rutgers Parity Project
Seton Hall Law Family Law Society
Social Action Committee of Temple Emeth, Teaneck NJ
SOMA Action
South Jersey NOW Alice Paul Chapter
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)
Speaking of Birth
Stanton Strong Inc.
Start Out Fresh Intervention Advocates
Temple Avodat Shalom
Temple Emeth Social Action Committee
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey
Transformative Justice Initiative
UU Faith Action NJ
Women Empowered Democratic Organization (WE DO) of Bergen County
Women for Progress
Women’s Rights Information Center
YWCA Northern New Jersey