“52 years ago today, a New York State law legalizing the right to an abortion went into effect, one of the most progressive laws regarding reproductive rights in the nation – and enacted three years before Roe v Wade was decided.

“In 2019, New York saw the danger coming from a new administration and the increasing polarization of the Supreme Court and passed the Reproductive Health Act to codify Roe v. Wade into state law. This action moved this legislative measure from the penal code to the health code, where it belongs.

“Last week, the Supreme Court struck down 50 years of precedent and ended the federal right to an abortion, stripping rights away from women across the country. Today, I was proud to vote for the Equality Amendment, the first step in amending the state Constitution to ensure New York women will always have autonomy over their bodies and protect all New Yorkers from discrimination. Despite what happens in Washington, New York will continue to value women and protect the right to choose.”