New Jersey lawmakers advanced legislation today that would criminalize interfering with abortion procedures and "gender-affirming care" procedures, which, if passed, would make NJ the first state to criminalize such actions. The bill was first introduced in 2024, then amended to match a Senate version, and is now set to face a full assembly vote before reaching Governor Mikie Sherrill's desk.
New Jersey lawmakers are advancing legislation that could put peaceful pro-life outreach in the crosshairs.
— 40 Days for Life (@40daysforlife) June 9, 2026
Offering help is not harassment.
Prayer is not interference.
Women deserve support. Children deserve protection. Americans deserve the freedom to peacefully advocate for…
State advances first-of-its-kind bill targeting interfering with abortion, trans healthcare https://t.co/yQFOAreFAG pic.twitter.com/1hHx8qSFHs
— New York Post (@nypost) June 9, 2026
According to Fox, the bill's protections would extend to outsiders seeking abortions in the state of NJ, as well as healthcare providers and facilities. Interference that allegedly began outside the state is also subject to legal penalties.
Republicans are expressing concern over the bill, saying it would infringe upon First Amendment rights to free speech and parental rights.
Gregory Quinlan, the founder and leader of the conservative advocacy organization Center for Garden State Families, told the New Jersey Monitor of his concerns for "sidewalk servants," saying, "We could be 100 feet away and just praying, and still be found in violation."
"The threat of prosecution is enough to silence lawful speech. And that happens to be exactly what this bill is designed to accomplish," said Marie Tasy, Executive Director of NJ Right to Life, in a statement to the New Jersey Monitor.
Republicans are reportedly also concerned that the law would make NJ a sanctuary state for "transgender" care providers, allowing individuals from other states with restrictions to travel to NJ for treatment.
The bill, which advanced along partisan lines, is backed by Democrats who refute claims of First Amendment violations. Trenton Councilwoman Jennifer Williams, a man identifying as a woman, said the bill would “protect the young, the adults like me, and our senior citizens who are transgender. We deserve it, and we are worth it.”
If signed into law, violators could face up to 10 years in prison or be fined up to $150,000 for inflicting bodily injury, and the bill would also allow for civil litigation and authorize the state attorney general to seek injunctions and financial penalties against alleged violators.