NEW YORK (PIX11) — The New York City Council voted to pass the NYC Abortion Rights Act on Thursday. If signed into law by Mayor Eric Adams, the legislation would increase access to abortions in the city.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called the package of legislation “landmark.” Councilmembers voted to make abortion medication available free of charge at city-run health clinics.
“It should be a very easy and accessible experience. There should not be questions in terms of what kind of insurance or whether they are covered,” Councilmember Carlina Rivera said.
Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif sponsored legislation to protect patients who travel to New York City from states where abortion is outlawed. In an interview with PIX11 News, Hanif explained “if the city or municipality they are coming from sues for accessing care in our city, the patient will be able to countersue.”
Lawmakers also voted for a public campaign that would shine a light on some pregnancy crisis centers. Rivera said some of those centers are in fact “fraudulent clinics that pretend to offer medical care only to provide misleading information that only prevents patients from accessing the care they need and deserve.”
