Senator Montgomery meets with members of the Empire State Progressives

Senator Montgomery met with members of the Empire State Progressives to discuss important issues like voting rights, criminal justice reform, women's health, marijuana legalization and gerrymandering. The Senator also discussed the importance of codifying the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraception Care Act.

The Reproductive Health Act would update New York State law to codify Roe v. Wade and ensure that a woman’s reproductive health, including the right to a medically safe abortion is protected even if efforts are made to undermine it at the national level.

The Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act requires insurance companies to cover all FDA-approved contraception without a co-payment. CCCA would also allow women access to 12 months of continuous contraception coverage providing consistency in care and a greater sense of ease, especially for women in rural areas.

We are living in an era where access to primary healthcare, reproductive health services and the ability to govern our own bodies is under attack on the federal level. There is a concerted effort to undue decades of work on this issue. A repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act looks more likely with every passing day and there have already been several Executive Orders issued to undermine women’s access to healthcare. These kinds of decisions affect all women regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or geography.

Governor Cuomo's proposed 2018-2019 Executive Budget requires insurers to cover all FDA approved contraceptive drugs and products as prescribed by a healthcare professional, expands access to oral contraception, and allows for 12 months of oral contraception to be dispensed at one time. Provisions related to the criminalization of abortion would also be removed from state law.

Senator Montgomery thanked the members for their activisim in community and encouraged them remain viligant to ensure that women's access to reproductive healthcare remains part of the discussion as budget negotiations move forward.

To learn more about Senator Montgomery's work to protect access to healthcare for women in New York State, visit:

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-urges-legislative-leaders-pass

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-calls-governor-support-reproductive

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-issues-call-action-protect-access