A federal appeals court has upheld New York’s Reproductive Health Act, affirming the legality of abortions after 24 weeks if the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus is nonviable, according to Spectrum News. The ruling confirms a lower court’s decision that the 2019 law—meant to embed Roe v. Wade protections into state law—does not violate the Constitution.
Opponents, including some doctors and advocates, challenged the law on First and Fourteenth Amendment grounds. The court rejected their arguments, allowing licensed health care practitioners to continue performing abortions under the law. The legislation faced backlash for expanding abortion access beyond what federal standards previously allowed.
Governor Kathy Hochul praised the decision, vowing to resist efforts to limit reproductive rights. She emphasized New York’s role as a defender of abortion access in a climate of national rollbacks.
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