As of December 26, the official ballot language was not yet released. The proposal that passed in the New York state legislature would prohibit “discrimination” against persons for reasons of “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy.”
“The amendment essentially allows for fully unrestricted abortion in New York,” Michele Sterlace, executive director of Feminists Choosing Life of New York, told CNA on Dec. 20.
“The electorate needs to be educated on the real impacts of the proposed amendment,” she said. “Abortion harms women and kills children; there’s credible mega studies that show that abortion increases the risk of suicide, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse for women. Women deserve better than that.”
New York currently allows abortion throughout pregnancy for any reason. Like many pro-abortion states, New York claims to prohibit abortion after viability except when necessary to protect the mother's “health.” However, health is interpreted broadly to include mental health, and the abortionist (who has a financial incentive) can decide whether the abortion is “necessary.”
The amendment would prevent New York legislators from protecting the unborn should they desire to pass pro-life legislation in the future.
