PRO-LIFE AND PRO-CHOICE ADVOCATES OPPOSE LAST-MINUTE NEW JERSEY ABORTION BILL
Legislators Should Seek Equity for Pregnancy Outcomes
Trenton, NJ, January 7, 2022 - Democrats for Life of America (DFLA) urges New Jersey legislators to oppose a last-ditch effort to pass an abortion expansion bill before the session ends Tuesday. DFLA urges common ground solutions to address the inequity of pregnancy outcomes in the state.
“With abortion-rights advocates recognizing the inequities for women when it comes to unplanned pregnancies, I see an opportunity for a more positive and common ground solution than this bill,” said Kristen Day, Executive Director for Democrats for Life. “The legislature should table this legislation and make a concerted effort to work with pro-life and pro-choice advocates to provide equity in pregnancy outcomes for poor and minority women.”
New Jersey has one of the highest abortion rates in the nation, with an abortion rate of 28 per 1,000 women. Guttmacher Institute statistics show that states like New Jersey that fund abortion have higher abortion rates–in most cases, double the national average of 13.5 per 1,000 women.These abortions disproportionately target low-income communities and people of color. 40 percent of abortions in New Jersey occured in the Black commuity.
“This bill does not address the high number of abortions, nor how lack of resources affects the disproportionate number of abortions among poor women of color, nor does it provide access to alternatives to abortion,” said Day. “It utterly fails to address the fact that New Jersey performs 5 percent of abortions in the United States, yet represents only .26 percent of the country’s population.”
Day testified before the Appropriations Committee yesterday to urge the Committee to look for ways to provide low-income women of color with the same opportunity to parent as families with greater means. The Guttmacher Institute indicates that 75 percent of women who seek abortion are financially insecure. Committee Chair John Burzichelli responded to Day’s testimony touting a large number of support programs provided to New Jersey families.
“I appreciate Chairman Burzichelli’s comments about programs available to pregnant women in New Jersey. However, instead of offering support for women to continue their education or continue employment opportunities while pregnant, the bill explicitly offers abortion as the best solution,” said Day. “More needs to be done to connect women to programs that support live-birth outcomes instead of sending them to one of the 79 abortion facilities in the state.
“New Jersey has an opportunity to lead on what a post-Roe world should look like – a world where no woman sees abortion as her best and only choice,” said Day. “We stand ready to work toward that reality.”
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