Glen Cove, New York – As some states try to deny human rights and abortion rights, Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) continues to fight for reproductive health. Lavine is sponsoring three new pieces of legislation: “These bills will protect New Yorkers from having to face criminal charges in anti-abortion states,” Lavine said.

A9613 Prohibits courts and county clerks from issuing subpoenas in connection with out of state abortion proceedings. This bill prohibits New York courts from cooperating with out-of-state civil and criminal cases relating to abortions in those states. Most states have enacted some form of the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act which allows litigants to take depositions and engage in discovery with people from another state. New York will not encourage and enable the efforts of authoritarian states to deny human rights in our courts.

A9615 Provides legal protections for providers of abortions in New York. This legislation will prevent New York law enforcement agencies from becoming cooperating arms of police in the anti-abortion states by prohibiting them from cooperating with anti-abortion state investigations relating to abortions.

A9627 Prohibits the extradition of abortion providers. This bill creates a New York statutory exception for the extradition of abortion providers. The Constitution’s extradition clause does not cover extradition of people who have not “fled justice,” meaning for example, that New York is not required to extradite an Illinois provider visiting New York who was in Illinois at the time she or he mailed abortion medication to a Georgia resident.

“Abortion rights are human rights,” Lavine stated, “New Yorkers have a proud history of defending the rights of our people. We will not sit passively as states with authoritarian governments enact laws suppressing human rights. With more than 20 states passing such damaging laws in the last months, the People of the State of New York will not serve as simple bystanders.”