The New York Senate was seen erupting in feverish applause after voting 38-24 to approve a bill which would allow abortion up to birth. Heralded as a major victory for pro-abortion activists, the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) was signed on the 46th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
Why is the new legislation so horrifying?
Simply put, the RHA will allow for the termination of fully formed babies. The killings can take place if the patient is 24 weeks from the commencement of pregnancy, if there is an absence of fetal viability, or, if “the abortion is necessary to protect the patient’s life or health.”
Critically, however, the intentional ambiguity of that last part allows for the destruction of the baby at any point during pregnancy should the doctor deem the mother’s wellbeing is at risk. The term “wellbeing” is, in itself, terrifyingly non-specific. So, with regards to these life and death decisions, physicians will be asked to assess “all factors — physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age — relevant to the wellbeing of the patient.”
Effectively, abortion will be available “on demand” up until birth — if the woman wants to terminate her fully-formed child because she claims it is too much for her to deal with financially, emotionally or otherwise, she will be allowed to do so.
“Every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental right to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion,” the new legislation declares.
And so, New York State now has legislation that permits murder for convenience.
BREAKING: New York State Senate just made HISTORY and passed the Reproductive Health Act on the anniversary of #RoevWade! pic.twitter.com/u2diMzgSQW
— 📢 PPGNY Action Fund (@PPGNYact) January 22, 2019
How is that legal?
The new act, which was subsequently signed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, will mean that the killing of a late-term baby will no longer be criminalized but instead will be governed under the public health code. Previously, the termination of an unborn child over 24 weeks could result in arrest on charges of homicide. Now, pre-born babies will be stripped of legal protection and mothers will have limited legal options should their unborn children come to harm.
More from LifeSite News:
“The bill would also prevent pregnant women whose babies are killed in violent attacks from seeing justice, and have the effect of “authorizing infanticide” by repealing the requirement that a second physician be on hand in the event that an attempted abortion past 20 weeks yields a live infant.”
46 Years After Roe v. Wade, Abortion Is Now The Leading Cause Of Death In The World
What has the reaction been from pro-lifers?
The outrage at the passing of this new legislation was, as one can imagine, both immediate and severe. Indeed, while the majority pro-abortion crowd inside the Senate appeared to be delighted with the outcome, one lone voice reportedly cried out, “May almighty God have mercy on this state!” right after the result was called.
Senate passes RHA 38-24, voice can be heard shouting "may almighty god have mercy on this state"
— @kdewitt7 (@kdewitt7) January 22, 2019
“RHA is an extreme bill sold to the public saying it merely ‘updates’ New York’s law, which is far from true,” declared New York State Right to Life in a statement. “RHA will expand abortion past 24 weeks through birth, make abortion a ‘fundamental right,’ and prohibit all limits, which Roe vs. Wade did ‘not’ do.”
The group noted that the new legislation paves the way for legal “infanticide.”
Late term abortions now legalized in NY, in which a fully formed ~6lb child is poisoned to death. God forgive us for being a country that celebrates infanticide. https://t.co/9p8S2UXOKa
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) January 23, 2019
Today New York State Senate passed the Reproductive Health Act which redefines person as“a human being who has been born and is alive” and which permits abortion in some cases to birth!
This was their reaction after passing the bill#WickednessInHighPlaces pic.twitter.com/OKYW4kspG6— Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) January 22, 2019
New York State just passed a bill that legalizes abortion up until birth (40 weeks). Here is an in-womb 3D photo of my daughter at only 29 weeks.
The world is wicked. pic.twitter.com/SqNUxgo6sO
— Nick (@NHTweetsHere) January 23, 2019
Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, abortion should break you. There's nothing to triumphantly shout about, nothing to celebrate. Loss of life should grieve us all, regardless of where we fall on the abortion spectrum. Any other reaction is tragic.
— Billy Hallowell 🙏 (@BillyHallowell) January 23, 2019
Governor Cuomo praised the successful vote, calling it “a giant step forward” in the “hard-fought battle to ensure a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own personal health, including the ability to access an abortion.”
The #ReproductiveHealthAct is now law in New York State. We lit the spire pink to celebrate. pic.twitter.com/dJbZqvWefV
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 23, 2019
“In the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v. Wade and women’s reproductive rights, I promised that we would pass this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session — and we got it done,” he added in the statement.
SIGNED.
The #ReproductiveHealthAct is now law. Congratulations all! pic.twitter.com/UXtnRsKT5d
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 23, 2019
“With the signing of this bill, we are sending a clear message that whatever happens in Washington, women in New York will always have the fundamental right to control their own body,” he said.
You can read the bill here.