Defending and Protecting Reproductive Freedom and Women’s Health

NYSUT supports a woman’s right to control her reproductive life and is dedicated to protecting women’s health at the state and national level. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling severely limiting access to safe, legal abortions, NYSUT’s Women’s Committee has compiled a list of resources to help members and concerned New Yorkers make their voices heard on this important issue and stay up to date with the latest, accurate information about reproductive services.

The Current Status of Reproductive Rights in the United States

This report paints a grim picture of the current status of reproductive freedom in the United States. Currently, there are no states that provide “total access” to comprehensive reproductive healthcare in the U.S. — meaning that there is no state in the country that does not somehow regulate abortion care. According to NARAL’s analysis of state laws and scoring of states based on the number of restrictions to abortion care, the landscape is increasingly restricted.

State Access Ratings for Reproductive Healthcare

• Severely Restricted Access: 26 states
• Restricted Access: 3 states
• Some Access: 6 states
• Strongly Protected Access: 6 states (California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, and Washington)

Legislative Restrictions and Anti-Choice Measures

In 2016 alone, 26 states enacted 56 anti-choice measures. Specifically, Louisiana enacted the most anti-choice legislation with seven measures, followed by Mississippi with six measures and South Dakota with five. These measures include prohibiting organizations that provide abortion from participating in public healthcare programs and/or receiving certain public funds, as well as a ban on abortion care after 20 weeks in South Dakota with no exception to protect a woman’s health.

Furthermore, 44 states and the District of Columbia have laws subjecting abortion providers to restrictions not imposed on other medical professionals. Nineteen of these states have enacted measures that unnecessarily require abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital, though hospitals are not required to consider or grant the request. Additionally, TRAP (targeted regulation of abortion providers) laws were implemented in Louisiana and South Dakota to try to force abortion clinic closures there.

The Political Landscape

The status of reproductive rights is heavily influenced by government leadership. Congress is comprised of a majority anti-choice membership. Fifty-three out of 100 senators in the U.S. Senate are anti-choice and 243 out of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are anti-choice, according to NARAL’s analysis of the members’ voting records. Nearly half of the country is comprised of anti-choice-leaning state governments, where 25 states have both the governor and the majority of the legislature being anti-choice.

Essential Resources for Information and Advocacy

To help navigate these challenges, several organizations provide critical support and information:

• Planned Parenthood: Provides a full range of sexual and reproductive health care services, including abortion, and advocates for public policies that protect and expand reproductive rights.
• NARAL Pro-Choice America: Organizes and mobilizes to fight for access to abortion care, birth control, paid parental leave and protections from pregnancy discrimination.
• ACLU Discussion Guide: A digital reference guide of quick, crucial facts about abortion rights.
• National Women's Law Center: Fights in the courts and in public policy to break down barriers, particularly for women of color, LGBTQ people and low-income women and families.
• Reproductive Health Options in New York State: A website offering details about abortion rights, providers, treatment options and resources for mental health support.