Two bills sponsored by Assemblywoman Mitchelle Drulis aimed at protecting the privacy and safety of individuals seeking reproductive health care advanced from the Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee this week. The bills reflect New Jersey’s continued commitment to safeguarding reproductive freedom while protecting the privacy of patients and providers at a time when laws governing reproductive health care vary widely across the country.
“New Jersey made a commitment to protecting a woman’s right to choose. Sadly, in too many parts of the country, access to reproductive health care and women’s rights to privacy are under threat,” said Assemblywoman Drulis (D-Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset). “These bills would help ensure our residents are informed when they travel and protected at home, because no one should have to risk their privacy or their future to receive safe, legal, and necessary medical care.”
The committee advanced bill A4532, which would prohibit the sharing of automated license plate reader information in connection with out-of-state investigations targeting individuals who provide or receive reproductive health care services that are legal in New Jersey. The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to obtain a written declaration from out-of-state law enforcement that the information will not be used in reproductive health investigations before sharing.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion access has shifted dramatically across the country. Thirteen states have enacted full abortion bans with few exceptions and four states restrict the procedure after six weeks. Even before the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, research showed that nearly one in ten patients traveled across state lines for abortion services.
The committee also advanced bill A4074, which would require the Department of State to establish a reproductive health travel advisory to inform New Jersey residents about states that limit reproductive health care services so they can make informed decisions about traveling while pregnant. The bill is also sponsored by Assemblywomen Andrea Katz, Luanne Peterpaul, and Heather Simmons.