New York makes Bitter Decision for Unborn Children

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

Written By: Devin Burrow, Politics and Culture Editor 

Is the decision to abort a child in the hands of the mother or the law? To both sides of this argument, the question seems to be a no brainer. The state of New York picked their side on Wednesday, January 23.

“With the signing of this bill,” Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) said late Wednesday, “we are sending a clear message that whatever happens in Washington, women in New York will always have the fundamental right to control their bodies.”

Cuomo is stating that the bill has codified, or rendered official, the outcome of Roe V. Wade, which means that if the divisive ruling is overturned, New York will still honor it.

The bill in question, the “Reproductive Health Act,” states that an abortion can take place up until birth based on the women’s health; health is defined by the U.S. Supreme Court as an “undue burden” according to Planned Parenthood v. Casey. A woman in New York can conceive and go full term with a child in the womb and still make the decision to abort the child, including an after birth abortion.

This bill also clarifies two more things. First, It brings abortion from any part of criminal law and places it in public health and safety. Secondly, it expands who can perform the procedure from doctors to just those licensed to carry out the procedure, that is, a medical degree nor a medical license is not necessary.

NY Bishop Edward Scharfenberger

Albany Bishop Edward Scharfenberger said, “ this is very hard to understand.” He is speaking in reference to Cuomo’s faith and how he is “a church attending Catholic,” yet he signs a “profoundly destructive legislation.”

The bishop was featured on Fox and Friends stating, “Cuomo’s bill advertised bringing more equality to women, but it excludes the class of unborn women.”

Other pro-lifers bitterly disagree with the decision saying, “this strips unborn babies of their fundamental human right to life and puts women’s health at risk by allowing   non-physicians to perform the procedures.”

Governor Cuomo isn’t met with only negative feedback from this decision. Senate Majority Leader Andrew Stewart-Cousins has praised the decision stating, “We’re saying that here in New York, women’s health matters. We’re saying here in New York, women’s lives matter. We’re saying here in New York, women’s decisions matter.”

Most of the media’s coverage includes supporters saying, “It brings New York into modern times and reassures women who may have feared for their rights under the Trump administration.”

The landmark ruling of Roe V. Wade was established in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court making abortions legal under federal law. Conservatives and pro-lifers have been battling against this ruling ever since it was released, with groups such as the National Right to life and Pro-life Action League only make up a small number of activists for children’s lives.

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Devin Burrow is the politics and culture editor for the Bryan Triangle. He is a junior communications major with an emphasis in digital media. Devin serves as a resident assistant at Bryan College.