58,000 abortions in 1 year: NJ lawmaker criticizes state abortion fund for covering out-of-state and non-citizen procedures
TRENTON, N.J. — A North Jersey lawmaker is raising concerns over the state’s Reproductive Health Access Fund, claiming it allows taxpayer-funded abortions with no gestational limits, even for non-residents, non-citizens, and minors without parental consent.
Dawn Fantasia, a Republican Assemblywoman, posted on social media Thursday that the fund—supported by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)—subsidizes what she called “abortion tourism” by offering full coverage of abortion costs regardless of a patient’s residency, citizenship, age, or insurance status.
“NJ performed around 58,000 total abortions last year. 6–7% of patients were from out-of-state. This equates to approximately 3,500–4,000 free abortions for non-NJ residents,” Fantasia wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Reproductive Health Access Fund, created in 2022, provides financial assistance for abortion-related services to individuals who face barriers to care. The fund does not currently impose gestational limits, and state law allows abortion at any point in pregnancy based on a health care provider’s medical judgment.
Fantasia’s remarks come amid ongoing national debate over abortion policy following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The New Jersey Department of Health does not publicly release data on the citizenship status of abortion recipients, and exact figures regarding how many procedures were publicly funded remain unconfirmed.
The New Jersey governor’s office and Rep. Sherrill’s office have not issued public responses to the post.