Clergy meet in Albany to urge passage of Reproductive Health Act (S. 5808)

ALBANY, NY (04/20/2010)(readMedia)-- Clergy from around the state will gather in Albany on Wednesday, April 21 to meet with lawmakers to discuss the need to update New York's abortion laws by passing the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) (S.5808).

In urging passage of RHA, members of Concerned Clergy for Choice and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice will share with lawmakers their pastoral experiences in counseling women and families in making medical decisions.

The Reproductive Health Act will remove the regulation of abortion care from the penal code and place it in the public health code where all other health care services are regulated; it will provide for a health exception should a women's health be endangered during her pregnancy; and it will enable a woman to choose or refuse contraception.

From the perspective of a physician, keynote speaker Dr. Vanessa Cullins of Planned Parenthood Federation of America will address threats at the federal level to women's reproductive health care and the need for patients, in consultation with their physicians and trusted others, to be the only ones to make their health care decisions.