Proactive abortion rights victories in 2022

Posted on May 17, 2022

Preparing for the upcoming disaster of SCOTUS overruling Roe v. Wade, many blue states have taken action to strengthen abortion rights. All of the following were passed in 2022:

Statutory and constitutional protections for the right to abortion:

Colorado enacted HB 1279 to protect the right to reproductive health care, specifically including abortion

Connecticut enacted a HB 5414 to protect not only abortion services, but also address services related to pregnancy or contraception

New Jersey enacted Chapter 375 a statutory protection for abortion

Vermont passed Proposal 5, a state constitutional amendment to “ensure that every Vermonter is afforded personal reproductive liberty” which will be on the November 2022 ballot

Washington enacted HB 1851 to expand abortion protections to people of all genders and prohibit any penalties for people assisting pregnant individuals seeking an abortion or criminalizing any pregnancy outcomes

Expanding practitioners:

Connecticut’s HB 5414 also allows advance practiced registered nurses, nurse-midwives and physician assistants to perform aspiration abortions

Maryland enacted HB 937 to allow nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, licensed certified midwives, and physician assistants to perform abortions

Expanding coverage and financing:

California enacted SB 245 to prohibit health insurance plans from imposing any cost-sharing for abortion services

Maryland’s HB 937 also requires most insurance providers to cover an abortion with no cost-sharing

Oregon passed the Reproductive Health Equity Fund as part of HB 5202 which allocates $15 million to Seeding Justice, a nonprofit  grassroots organization that will distribute the funds to help individuals who need abortion care and organizations that provide abortion care

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