The US state of New York wants to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution. The Senate of the Democrat-governed state on Friday voted for an amendment to the constitution that establishes a right to abortion and access to contraceptives. Now the New York House of Representatives must vote on the text before it is put to voters in a referendum.
The state is responding to the recent reversal of a nearly 50-year landmark ruling that established a nationwide right to abortion. The Supreme Court made the landmark decision Roe v. Wade” from 1973 overturned a week ago, triggering a political earthquake.
With the decision of the constitutional judges, states can now largely or even completely ban abortion. Conservative states took immediate action. Many had already prepared laws that came into force almost automatically with the decision of the Supreme Court.
The civil rights organization American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said on Friday that there is now no or almost no access to abortions in around a dozen states. “That number is likely to increase over the coming days, weeks and months until it’s about 26 states nationwide,” said ACLU Director Anthony Romero. That’s more than half of the 50 states.
Abortion rights organizations have already gone to court in 11 states to challenge restrictive laws. States ruled by the Democrats want to consolidate abortion rights.
