Assemblyman Steve Stern (D-Huntington, 10th AD) announced that legislation he co-sponsored to protect women’s reproductive rights, access to contraception and protection from workplace discrimination based on reproductive health care decisions passed the New York State Assembly today.

“Women must have the right to make deeply personal decisions regarding their health, including reproductive choice and access to contraceptive care, without government interference and without having to share their decisions regarding these matters with their employers,” Assemblyman Stern said. “These decisions should be made by women with their health care providers, and their families.”

The Reproductive Health Act codifies the protections of Roe v. Wade, and ensures that neither patients nor physicians will face criminal liability for exercising their constitutionally protected right to privacy. “Now, more than ever, with reproductive rights under threat, New York State must lead the way to protect women's access to safe reproductive health care,” Assemblyman Stern said.

On this historic day, Stern also helped pass the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act, which requires health insurance providers to cover FDA-approved contraceptives when prescribed by a doctor. In addition, Stern co-sponsored the initiative preventing employers from discriminating against employees based on their reproductive health decisions, and bars employers from accessing private medical information about their employees without prior informed, written consent.

“I am proud to have co-sponsored these important legislative initiatives to protect a woman's right to choose and to ensure the ability to make her own personal decisions regarding her reproductive health care,” Assemblyman Stern said.