New Mexico Governor Signs Bill Protecting Access to Reproductive and Gender Care

CNN
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New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Luján Grisham on Thursday signed into law legislation preventing local municipalities and other state agencies from making inferences about a person’s ability to access reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare services.

HB7The Reproductive and Gender Affirming Health Freedom Act also prohibits any government agency from imposing laws, regulations, policies, or rules that prevent patients from receiving reproductive or gender-affirming care.

The move comes after federal abortion rights were repealed last year, and as several states passed measures to prevent minors from accessing gender confirmation services.

Gender Care it is a medically necessary evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person move from their assigned sex – the one they were given at birth – to their confirmed sex – the sex they want to be known by.

“New Mexicans in every corner of our state deserve to have their bodily autonomy and their right to health protected,” said Lujan Grisham. Press release. “I am grateful for the hard work of the Legislature and community partners in bringing this important legislation to the finish line.”

Each violation of the law could result in a $5,000 fine or damages, if the amount is greater, as per the bill.

The law follows rulings previously issued by several municipalities in the state regarding access to abortion services after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. UK. Wade last summer.

Although abortion is legal in New Mexico, several GOP-led states have introduced or adopted measures restricting abortion, including Texas and Oklahoma, which have banned the procedure at all stages of pregnancy with a few exceptions. In response, New Mexico, a neighbor of both states, provided $10 million to build a new abortion clinic near the Texas border.

Several other Democratic-controlled states have moved to confirm reproductive health in response to the landmark Supreme Court ruling.

Democratic Governor of Minnesota signed the bill in a law earlier this year that enshrined a “fundamental right” of access to abortion in the state. Last year, California passed several bills expanding access to abortionincluding protecting abortion providers and patients seeking abortion care in the state from out-of-state civil action.

As states move to take action, new legal challenges could further complicate access to abortion in post-Row America.

federal court in texas heard arguments this week to block the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used for medical abortion that accounted for more than half of US abortions in 2020, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Although Trump-appointed judge did not rule, he suggested during the controversy that he was seriously considering withdrawing the FDA approval.

Also at risk is access to gender-affirming care for trans youth, which LGBTQ advocates have long emphasized as life-saving health care.

This year, lawmakers in Tennessee, Mississippi, Utah, and South Dakota passed laws restricting minors’ access to such assistance.

In addition, according to data collected American Civil Liberties Union and shared with CNN.