New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), who is running for governor in the 2022 elections, wants to create a state fund to pay for abortions for out-of-state residents, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
According to their report, James thinks the state should “establish a dedicated fund that would help support and provide financial resources to women across the country so that they could continue to make their own reproductive choices.” Included in this would be the cost of the abortion, as well as travel and lodging expenses.
James’ proposal comes on the heels of oral arguments heard last week in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The case pertains to a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi and is the first case in decades with the potential to overturn landmark cases Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decided in 1973 and 1992, respectively.
This week, as I covered, a coalition of over 40 abortion providers and advocacy groups, called the California Future of Abortion Council, published a report of recommendations for lawmakers to make the state of California a “sanctuary” for women seeking abortion.
“It is imperative that California take the lead, live up to its proclamation as a ‘Reproductive Freedom State,’ and be ready to serve anyone who seeks abortion services in the state,” the recommendation list states. ”We are releasing the following Recommendations to Protect, Strengthen, and Expand Abortion Services in California – a list of legislative, executive, and administrative actions for state policymakers to implement in order to meet the needs of people seeking abortions.”
Included in the council’s report were recommendations for increased funding, and public spending, toward abortion services and travel expenses for out-of-state patients, the Associated Press reported.
In an interview with AP, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said that the state would be a “sanctuary” for abortion.
“We’ll be a sanctuary,” he said in the interview, noting that he is aware that more patients will travel to the state for abortions. “We are looking for ways to support that inevitability and looking at ways to expand our protections.”