TRENTON, NJ – First, the Trump-packed Supreme Court came for our right to kill unborn babies. Next, they are coming for our rights to use contraceptives and gay marriage.
That’s the message this week from New Jersey Democrat and Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Senate President Pro Tempore Sandra Cunningham and Senate Majority Caucus Chair Nellie Pou.
“There are no words that can capture the profound depth of sadness, disappointment and betrayal that women throughout our country feel today. We cannot and will not go back on a woman’s right to choose and we remain deeply concerned with how this ruling may signal the further erosion of rights related to access to contraceptives and gay marriage,” the trio said.
The Supreme Court ruling will have little to no impact on women living in New Jersey, where abortions remain legal into the third trimester. The decision by the Supreme Court put the abortion debate back into the hands of the states.
While it is unlikely that the right or the Supreme Court will tackle topics such as gay marriage and contraception, those decisions would also likely pass the decision-making power back to the state of New Jersey, where pro-gay marriage and pro-contraception are supported on both sides of the political aisle.
“In one decision, the Supreme Court has put the health and lives of our daughters, sisters and mothers in jeopardy. New Jersey already put strong protections in place ahead of this decision, and we will take all the necessary steps to safeguard providers and preserve the right to choose here in the state,” they said. “Everyone deserves the right to access reproductive health care, whether that is in the form of birth control, IVF or abortion. We will continue to fight for the fundamental human right of bodily autonomy for all women. Today our thoughts are with all those living in states poised to ban abortion.”