New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday, Feb. 13, that the City is further enshrining what was referred to as its commitment to reproductive rights by releasing a new Sexual and Reproductive Bill of Rights. City officials said the new bill is being introduced as the right to access abortion care has been stripped away from over one third of U.S. women. They said the new Bill of Rights defines health as being inclusive of access to sexual health care, birth control, gender-affirming health care, and abortion services.

 

“Two Years ago, the Supreme Court stripped women of the right to control their own bodies, and since then, cities and states across the country have worked tirelessly to completely limit abortion access to Americans,” said Adams. “As much of the nation continues their attacks on abortion care, we won’t ever allow this right to be stripped away here in New York City. We are issuing a Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill of Rights today to do everything in our power to ensure abortion and reproductive health care remain available to residents and visitors alike. This is about protecting women’s choices and their freedoms.”

 

City officials said the bill will help ensure all patients in New York City are protected from discrimination and harassment related to their sexual and reproductive health care decisions. They said the sexual and reproductive Bill of Rights will be distributed to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) network of health care providers, advocacy groups, and partner organizations across the City to share with patients.

 

The new bill comes on the same day that, as reported, it was announced a Bronx woman had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death by asphyxiation of her newborn twin daughter in the Allerton section of The Bronx in September 2023. The woman later gave birth to a twin baby boy.

 

Meanwhile, as also reported, just across the Bronx border in Westchester County, Yonkers police arrested a young mother and charged her on Feb. 8 with abandoning a newborn baby on Feb. 6 in the hallway of an apartment building at 32 Chestnut Street in Yonkers. No details regarding the whereabouts of the fathers of either baby were shared by officials in either case.

 

New York City health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, said of the new bill of rights, “Abortion care is health care. Health care is a human right, and New Yorkers, and all Americans, have a right to exercise their rights by making health care decisions about their own bodies. Abortion remains legal in New York, but we know that protected rights are necessary, but not sufficient, to guarantee access to care. Knowing your rights and exercising these rights is just as important.”

 

Vasan added, “That is why the city is launching the Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill of Rights and bringing additional abortion services online — to provide support that helps people navigate multiple barriers to care. Everyone deserves to receive reproductive health care in a safe, high-quality, dignified environment.” 

 

In 2022, in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to access safe, legal abortion care nationwide. Since that decision, City officials said the Adams administration has introduced a range of services to protect and fulfill the local right to access abortion care.

They said since launching the New York City Abortion Access Hub in November 2022, more than 3,500 callers and over 790 people who used the chat function have been directed to reproductive health services and resources through NYC Health + Hospitals and providers throughout the City.

 

City officials said that more than a third of all callers request a Spanish-speaking navigator and a majority of callers identify as Hispanic or Latino. They said a majority of callers shared that they make less than $25,000 a year, and that most callers live in New York City. They added that over 600 callers reported living outside the State, and more than a third of those callers were from Texas.

Anyone in need of abortion services or support in accessing care can receive referrals by calling 877-NYC-AHUB (877-692-2482). For those who might prefer to start the conversation over text, there is also a chat feature to connect to a phone operator.

 

Marisa Nádas, MD, MPH, reproductive health clinical lead at NYC Health + Hospitals, and associate medical director at Virtual ExpressCare also welcomed the announcement of the new bill, saying, “NYC Health + Hospitals is proud to offer safe and legal abortion care.” She added, “By offering telehealth abortion services and patient navigation support to people seeking abortion care, as well as abortion care at all of our hospital-based clinics, we are overcoming many of the non-medical barriers people face in accessing care. We are committed to striving for reproductive justice for all New Yorkers.”

 

City officials added that alongside health care providers, patients, and dedicated supporters of reproductive care, the Adams administration had “weathered ongoing attempts” to restrict access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used for the past 23 years in medication abortion and has continued to support “unfettered access” to what they said was safe and effective medication.

 

In August 2022, Adams signed legislation enabling access to no cost medication abortion at New York City’s sexual health clinics. City officials said following this, in 2023:

• 627 medication abortion services were provided at these clinics;
• most patients were New York City residents, with residents of The Bronx and Queens representing half of all medication abortion visits, and;
• more than 60 percent of medication abortion patients were uninsured.

In October 2023, NYC Health + Hospitals launched telehealth abortion access through Virtual ExpressCare, becoming the first public health system in the nation to do so. Health officials said patients in New York City seeking abortion care can schedule a Virtual ExpressCare appointment to speak with a New York state-licensed health care professional by video or phone, on-demand, for an assessment and counseling.

 

If clinically appropriate and prescribed, they said patients can receive a medication abortion kit at their New York City address within a few days. They said the service is available seven days a week, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and provides patients with access to safe, legal abortion care. They added that patients can access telehealth abortion care online or by calling (718) 360-8981.

 

Health officials went on to say that the latest bill comes on the heels of the roll out of the “Women Forward NYC: An Action Plan for Gender Equity” program, described as a $43 million+ investment aimed at making New York City a national leader on gender equity, including for transgender and gender expansive New Yorkers, as reported.

 

Supported through city dollars, private and public partnerships, academic institutions, and federal grant funding, City officials said the action plan addresses gender disparities by connecting women to professional development and higher-paying jobs; dismantling barriers to sexual, reproductive, and chronic health care; reducing gender-based violence against women; and providing holistic housing services, including for formerly incarcerated women and domestic and gender-based violence survivors.

In 2021, Bronxites weighed in with their views on then Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plans to curb misinformation around abortion.