Passage of the Clinic Access Bill was the culmination of work that began a few years ago when a Bronx clinic asked NARAL Pro-Choice New York for help dealing with harassing protestors. We approached the Speaker to make a permanent fix to this long standing issue and, since then, we have been working hand in hand to solve this problem and protect women’s health and safety.

 

This strengthened law makes it a crime to prevent access to reproductive health care services; physically obstructing or blocking another person from entering the clinic; following or harassing another person within fifteen feet of the facility; behaving in a way that places another person in reasonable fear of physical harm; or damaging a reproductive health care facility. Additionally, it protects providers and clinic workers, allowing them to perform their vital jobs without fear.

The Clinic Access Bill passed a City Council vote on April 2, 40-8, with Councilmembers Tony Avella, Simcha Felder, Vincent Ignizio, Kenneth Mitchell, Eric Ulrich, James Vacca, Peter Vallone, and James Oddo voting against it.

 

We urge you to take this opportunity to either thank your Councilmember for supporting this bill or to express your disappointment that he or she voted against it. Find your Councilmember’s contact info here.