📰 New York Passes Bill fo’ Shield Abortion Providers, Sendin’ Pills into States Wit’ Bans 😮💊🏥

Da New York State Legislature wen’ give da final approval on Tuesday fo’ legislation dat give legal protection fo’ New York doctors fo’ prescribe an’ send abortion pills to patients in states dat ban abortion.

Dis new law, along wit’ similar laws in oddah states controlled by Democrats, goin’ make a big difference by expandin’ access to medication abortion. Now patients in states dat restrict abortion can end their pregnancies at home, no need fo’ travelin’ to states where abortion is legal. 😷💉🌈

Dis New York bill now goin’ to da desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul, an’ she show support fo’ dis shield law. Da bill say dat New York courts an’ officials no goin’ cooperate if a state wit’ abortion ban try fo’ prosecute, sue, or penalize a New York health care provider who offer abortion via telemedicine to a patient in dat state. As long as da provider follow New York law, they safe. Dis bill wen’ pass da State Assembly by 99 to 45 vote on Tuesday evenin’ aftah clearin’ da Senate by 39 to 22 vote last month. 🖊️🗽👩‍⚖️

Eva since da Supreme Court wen’ take away da nationwide right to an abortion last year, plenny states wen’ pass telemedicine abortion shield laws. States like Massachusetts, Colorado, Vermont, an’ Washington all get ’em. But dis New York law goin’ make one big impact. Plenny New York providers stay plannin’ fo’ send abortion pills to patients in all da restrictive states. Some providers even speakin’ out, somethin’ dat oddah states wit’ shield laws nevah do yet. 👩‍⚕️📦🗽

“I goin’ mail pills soon as da governor sign da bill,” said Dr. Linda Prine, one New York physician an’ co-founder of da Miscarriage an’ Abortion Hotline. She stay ready fo’ fight back. Dr. Prine an’ three oddah doctors goin’ mail pills to patients in all states wit’ restrictions or bans. Even one telemedicine service in New York, Juniper Midwifery, stay plannin’ to use da shield law fo’ mail pills to patients in states wit’ abortion bans. 👩‍⚕️✉️📦

Abortion stay illegal now in 14 states, but most bans only penalize people who help wit’ abortion, not da ones who take da pills. Most abortions in da United States now happen wit’ medication, usin’ mifepristone an’ misoprostol. Da process stay safe an’ effective. 💊🩺🌡️

Da ones against abortion stay tryin’ fo’ get rid of mifepristone by challengin’ da Food an’ Drug Administration’s approval of da drug 23 years ago. Dey goin’ Supreme Court fo’ decide. Dey also challenge da F.D.A.’s decision from last year dat allow patients to get prescribed pills by mail. 😷📬🛑

Since Roe v. Wade overturned, many patients in states wit’ bans or restrictions wen’ take abortion pills. Some wen’ travel to states where abortion stay legal fo’ get pills at clinics or addresses where da pills wen’ mail. But plenny patients no can afford da cost an’ time fo’ travel. 🚗💸⏰

Dis telemedicine option an’ da protection fo’ providers goin’ help plenny people in Mississippi an’ oddah restricted states. Michelle Colón, executive director of SHERo Mississippi, one organization fo’ supportin’ reproductive rights fo’ people of color, say dis goin’ expand access dat we need so bad. 💪🏾🔓🏥

Othah patients wen’ get pills in da mail from overseas. Dey get prescribed by doctors abroad, use European telemedicine service, o’ ordah online from pharmacies in India o’ oddah countries. But sometimes da pills come too late, like two to three weeks aftah. By den, da pregnancy could be past da 12-week mark dat da World Health Organization say okay fo’ use medication abortion. Mailing pills from inside da United States, like doctors undah da shield laws doin’, get da pills to patients in a few days. 🌍✉️📬🌎

Da shield laws no guarantee full legal protection fo’ providers. Under da law, if one state wit’ a ban issue one arrest warrant fo’ a doctor like Dr. Prine, New York no goin’ send her to dat state. But if she goin’ travel dere o’ to one oddah state dat goin’ extradite her, she could face criminal charges. Texas could try fo’ prosecute dem fo’ murder. It’s like killin’ one baby, but da mama no goin’ get prosecuted (o’ sued) fo’ da baby’s death. 😢😠🤬

Only ’bout 10 health care providers in states wit’ shield laws wen’ start sendin’ pills to patients in states dat restrict abortion. Dey stay movin’ carefully. Most da ones who wen’ use da shield laws stay just testin’ it out in states dat maybe no goin’ cause too much trouble. But we gotta start doin’ it fo’ all da states. One doctor in Hudson Valley, New York stay plannin’ to send pills undah dis new shield law, but she no can say her name ’cause da risk. 👩‍⚕️✉️🔒

Oddah abortion providers stay interested in usin’ shield laws if dey could send prescriptions to pharmacies fo’ mail da pills. If California pass one telehealth abortion shield bill dat wen’ pass da state Senate last month, den dat option goin’ open up. One online pharmacy in California, Honeybee Health, stay hope to ship pills to all 50 states. Jessica Nouhavandi, one co-founder an’ president of Honeybee, stay lookin’ forward to it. 😷💊📦

While providers test da shield laws, legal questions could come up. People might sue providers o’ challenge deir medical license fo’ unauthorized practice of medicine. We gotta be ready fo’ court battles. But some lawyers say da shield laws mess up da cooperation between states. One state goin’ throw da laws of anoddah state into chaos. Dis law fo’ telehealth abortions change da usual rules fo’ telemedicine law an’ policy. Normally, you care fo’ da patient in da state dey stay in. 🤔⚖️🌐

Fo’ treat one patient in Texas, fo’ example, one New York doctor would normally get one Texas medical license. If da doctor work wit’out one, New York goin’ help Texas go aftah ’em wit’ da medical board. If we no get dis shield law, out-of-state decisions could affect da doctor’s license in New York. 😬🏥💼

Sometimes, da U.S. Constitution say one state gotta enforce da civil judgments of anoddah state. One abortion provider in New York could get sued in Texas, fo’ example, by da family of one abortion patient, claimin’ damages fo’ da wrongful death of da embryo o’ fetus. If da plaintiff win, da Constitution goin’ make New York collect da damages. It’s clear dat citizens in oddah states still can sue doctors who do illegal medicine. People can sue fo’ protectin’ against da bad t’ings done by people commit crimes. 😣💔💵

It hard fo’ get malpractice insurance. But dis shield bill in New York say dat insurers no can drop o’ penalize one provider who follow da New York law fo’ do abortions. Providers no can get penalized fo’ doin’ da right t’ing. 📜💉🤝

Nobody wen’ sue o’ take action against providers workin’ undah telemedicine abortion shield laws so far. Dr. Prine an’ oddah providers stay ready fo’ be da test subjects, but dey stay lookin’ out fo’ demselves. Most providers no like travel to states wit’ abortion bans. Dr. Prine stay make sure fo’ no get one flight connection in one airport in one restrictive state. She stay careful. 🧪🧑‍⚕️🛫

Da new laws fo’ shieldin’ telemedicine abortion, dey make plenny legal questions. But da fact stay, plenny people support it an’ da shield laws goin’ make it easier fo’ patients fo’ get da care dey need. We gotta keep fightin’ fo’ reproductive rights an’ supportin’ providers who stay helpin’ us. We need dis access. 🚫🤲👶

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NOW IN ENGLISH

😮💊🏥 New York Passes Bill for Shielding Abortion Providers, Sending Pills into States With Bans

The New York State Legislature has given the final approval on Tuesday for legislation that provides legal protection for New York doctors to prescribe and send abortion pills to patients in states that ban abortion.

This new law, along with similar laws in other states controlled by Democrats, is going to make a big difference by expanding access to medication abortion. Now patients in states that restrict abortion can end their pregnancies at home, no need for traveling to states where abortion is legal. 😷💉🌈

This New York bill is now going to the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul, and she has shown support for this shield law. The bill states that New York courts and officials will not cooperate if a state with an abortion ban tries to prosecute, sue, or penalize a New York healthcare provider who offers abortion via telemedicine to a patient in that state. As long as the provider follows New York law, they are safe. This bill passed the State Assembly by a vote of 99 to 45 on Tuesday evening after clearing the Senate by a vote of 39 to 22 last month. 🖊️🗽👩‍⚖️

Ever since the Supreme Court took away the nationwide right to an abortion last year, many states have passed telemedicine abortion shield laws. States like Massachusetts, Colorado, Vermont, and Washington all have them. But this New York law is going to make a big impact. Many New York providers are planning to send abortion pills to patients in all the restrictive states. Some providers are even speaking out, something that other states with shield laws haven’t done yet. 👩‍⚕️📦🗽

“I’m going to mail pills as soon as the governor signs the bill,” said Dr. Linda Prine, a New York physician and co-founder of the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline. She is ready to fight back. Dr. Prine and three other doctors are going to mail pills to patients in all states with restrictions or bans. Even a telemedicine service in New York, Juniper Midwifery, is planning to use the shield law to mail pills to patients in states with abortion bans. 👩‍⚕️✉️📦

Abortion is now illegal in 14 states, but most bans only penalize people who help with abortion, not the ones who take the pills. Most abortions in the United States now happen with medication, using mifepristone and misoprostol. The process is safe and effective. 💊🩺🌡️

Those against abortion are trying to get rid of mifepristone by challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug 23 years ago. They are going to the Supreme Court to decide. They are also challenging the FDA’s decision from last year that allows patients to get prescribed pills by mail. 😷📬🛑

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, many patients in states with bans or restrictions have been taking abortion pills. Some have traveled to states where abortion is legal to get pills at clinics or addresses where the pills were mailed. But many patients cannot afford the cost and time to travel. 🚗💸⏰

This telemedicine option and the protection for providers are going to help many people in Mississippi and other restricted states. Michelle Colón, the executive director of SHERo Mississippi, an organization for supporting reproductive rights for people of color, says this is going to expand the access that we need so bad. 💪🏾🔓🏥

Other patients have been getting pills in the mail from overseas. They get prescribed by doctors abroad, use European telemedicine services, or order online from pharmacies in India or other countries. But sometimes the pills come too late, like two to three weeks after. By then, the pregnancy could be past the 12-week mark that the World Health Organization says is okay for using medication abortion. Mailing pills from inside the United States, like doctors under the shield laws are doing, gets the pills to patients in a few days. 🌍✉️📬🌎

The shield laws do not guarantee full legal protection for providers. Under the law, if a state with a ban issues an arrest warrant for a doctor like Dr. Prine, New York will not send her to that state. But if she travels there or to another state that will extradite her, she could face criminal charges. Texas could try to prosecute them for murder. It’s like killing a baby, but the mother will not get prosecuted (or sued) for the baby’s death. 😢😠🤬

Only about 10 healthcare providers in states with shield laws have started sending pills to patients in states that restrict abortion. They are moving carefully. Most of the ones who have used the shield laws have just been testing it out in states that may not cause too much trouble. But we have to start doing it for all the states. One doctor in Hudson Valley, New York, is planning to send pills under this new shield law, but she cannot say her name because of the risk. 👩‍⚕️✉️🔒

Other abortion providers are interested in using shield laws if they could send prescriptions to pharmacies to mail the pills. If California passes a telehealth abortion shield bill that passed the state Senate last month, then that option is going to open up. An online pharmacy in California, Honeybee Health, hopes to ship pills to all 50 states. Jessica Nouhavandi, a co-founder and president of Honeybee, is looking forward to it. 😷💊📦

While providers test the shield laws, legal questions could come up. People might sue providers or challenge their medical license for unauthorized practice of medicine. We have to be ready for court battles. But some lawyers say the shield laws mess up the cooperation between states. One state is going to throw the laws of another state into chaos. This law for telehealth abortions changes the usual rules for telemedicine law and policy. Normally, you take care of the patient in the state they are in. 🤔⚖️🌐

To treat a patient in Texas, for example, a New York doctor would normally get a Texas medical license. If the doctor works without one, New York would help Texas go after them with the medical board. If we don’t have this shield law, out-of-state decisions could affect the doctor’s license in New York. 😬🏥💼

Sometimes, the U.S. Constitution says that one state has to enforce the civil judgments of another state. An abortion provider in New York could get sued in Texas, for example, by the family of an abortion patient, claiming damages for the wrongful death of the embryo or fetus. If the plaintiff wins, the Constitution is going to make New York collect the damages. It’s clear that citizens in other states can still sue doctors who do illegal medicine. People can sue for protection against the bad things done by people who commit crimes. 😣💔💵

It’s hard to get malpractice insurance. But this shield bill in New York says that insurers cannot drop or penalize a provider who follows the New York law to do abortions. Providers cannot get penalized for doing the right thing. 📜💉🤝

Nobody has sued or taken action against providers working under telemedicine abortion shield laws so far. Dr. Prine and other providers are ready to be the test subjects, but they are looking out for themselves. Most providers do not like to travel to states with abortion bans. Dr. Prine is making sure not to have a flight connection in an airport in a restrictive state. She is being careful. 🧪🧑‍⚕️🛫

The new laws for shielding telemedicine abortion raise many legal questions. But the fact is, many people support it and the shield laws are going to make it easier for patients to get the care they need. We have to keep fighting for reproductive rights and supporting providers who are helping us. We need this access. 🚫🤲👶