Today, Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (D-Sag Harbor) issued the following statement on the news that the Supreme Court of the United States overruled Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal constitutional right to an abortion, which will now be determined by individual states:

Assemblymember Fred Thiele said, “Just one day after overturning New York’s Concealed Carry Law, the Supreme Court rolled back the rights of millions of Americans by overruling Roe v. Wade and destroying 50 years of progress in reproductive rights. Here in New York State, we’ve been preparing for this day and passed the Reproductive Health Act in 2019 to codify Roe v. Wade into state law. Furthermore, following last month’s news of the Supreme Court’s intention to repeal this landmark decision, my Assembly colleagues and I swiftly passed a legislative package to strengthen a woman’s right to choose and empower reproductive healthcare providers.

Access to abortion is a fundamental human right and I am prepared to continue working relentlessly to ensure it remains accessible, safe and legal to all New Yorkers. This Supreme Court decision requires bold action: I am ready to stand up and fight back to ensure basic freedoms, including access to contraception, LGBTQ+ rights and interracial marriage, are never jeopardized in our state.”