6/30/24 Update: Both the Senate and Assembly passed versions of this bill, but they are not identical. Legislative leaders are expected to schedule a legislative session this summer to merge the two bills and
pass them again in both Houses. We will update this page as information is obtained. The article below explains what happened.
| Bill scrapping cost-sharing for abortion, family planning services fails to reach governor's desk |
| By Daniel Han | 06/28/2024 08:58 PM EDT |
The state Assembly and Senate on Friday passed legislation that would scrap cost-sharing for abortions and a variety of family planning services on state-regulated health plans. But the bills won’t make it to the governor’s desk before the summer break. Details: That’s because the two bills, while similar in substance, have some key differences. The Senate version of the bill, S3452, for example, includes measures that prohibit medical malpractice liability insurers from penalizing policyholders or scaling back coverage on the grounds of reproductive rights procedures that are illegal in other states. That was not included in an Assembly bill that also scraps cost-sharing for abortions and family planning services, A4654. “Two different versions were voted on,” Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz told POLITICO. “The Assembly had a different version. I suspect over the summer we’ll get our heads together and figure out what the next steps are.” Senate President Nick Scutari said that he “thought there was an agreement on the amendments, but apparently there’s not." Background: Scrapping cost-sharing for abortions on state-regulated health plans has long been a goal for Gov. Phil Murphy. Ruiz and Scutari announced this month that they wanted to get such a bill to the governor’s desk, making it appear that it would finally advance. It is unclear what the extent of disagreement there is between both chambers. A spokesperson for the Assembly Democrats declined to comment. Ruiz previously said that amendments to exempt family planning services from cost-sharing were sought by the Assembly. The bills would allow cost-sharing if the abortion or family planning services come from an out-of-network provider. |
6/25/24 Update: The Senate Budget Committee passed the bill with amendments on 6/24/24.
Governor Murphy and Abortion groups have been pushing to pass this bill before summer.
Bill S3452 was introduced on June 17, 2024. The sponsors of S3452 are Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-29) and Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-22).
As we have experienced with all pro-abortion legislation that the Democratic leadership has pushed, NJ Citizens will once again be deprived of their right to be informed and adequately express their views on this legislation. That is because the sponsors know it is unpopular and want to pass it post-haste. They intend to schedule it for a hearing and pass it within the next two weeks.
You can read their Press Release HERE
Pro-Abortion Groups are calling this legislation the Reproductive Equity Act.
The bill will do the following:
- Provide "Free" abortions on demand up until the moment of birth, even if both mother and child are healthy. These abortions will be mandated in all health insurance plans with no co-pays ,no deductibles, no co-insurance. This will increase premiums in all health insurance plans and make taxpayers complicit in the performance of, and funding for, all abortions that take place in our state. The legislation includes a very narrow religious employer exclusion which only applies to churches or religious orders organized as non-profits. These entities may request an exclusion to cover abortion if the coverage conflicts with their bona fide religious beliefs and practices, but will be allowed if the abortion is necessary to save the life or health of the covered person. It is important to note, however, that this exclusion will not apply to other non-profit religious employers or privately held for-profit businesses whose owners have religious objections to covering abortion in their health insurance plans.
- Mandate in law the new, unsafe rules adopted by the NJ Board of Medical Examiners that advanced practice nurses, certified nurse midwives and certified midwives can perform abortions in the first trimester as well as provide medication abortion. It will also mandate in law that physician assistants can provide medication abortion and counseling.
- Mandate in law that a physician or other health care providers (includes nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, midwives, advanced practice nurse, physician assistants) acting within their scope of practice shall be authorized to provide and assist in abortion services in this state. This specifically invalidates NJ's 1974 Conscience Clause law for health care providers.
- Prevent insurers from taking any adverse or disciplinary action against providers in NJ (which now include nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, advance practice nurses and physician assistants) for performing or assisting with an abortion or gender-affirming health care services on a patient who travels from another state if that state has laws contrary to New Jersey's.
- Clarifies that abortions for medicaid patients will be provided for any reason.