Join NOW-NYS & Pro-Choice Activists to Demand Passage of New Bill

ALBANY, NY (08/24/2007)(readMedia)-- On Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 3 PM, NOW members will picket the office of Senator Joseph Robach ( R ). NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas will appear at a press conference in front of the Senator’s office at 2300 West Ridge Road, Greece, NY to demand that the NYS Legislature pass the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act, introduced by Governor Spitzer earlier this year

In collaboration with the Greater Rochester NOW Chapter, the National Organization for Women-NYS is launching a statewide campaign.

Speakers include Marcia A. Pappas, President of NOW-NYS, Alberta Roesser, President of Greater Rochester NOW, Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Nora Bredes, Director of the Susan B. Anthony Center and Gary Pudup, Executive Director of the Genesee Valley ACLU.

According to NOW-NYS President, Marcia A. Pappas, “This bill will revise NY State’s outdated abortion law, originally enacted in 1970. Because Senator Robach is blocking passage of this important bill, NOW-NYS is targeting him with the message that it’s time for all legislators to be on board to protect women’s health.”

Women’s rights supporters are concerned by a recent US Supreme Court decision. That ruling gave state politicians the power to make medical decisions for women; taking away a woman’s right to determine her own personal health care needs

Alberta Roesser, President of Greater Rochester NOW states, “Women are angry about this decision because it actually specifies that a woman’s health is no longer a consideration when imposing restrictions on abortion. Because federal lawmakers can no longer be counted on to protect women, many progressive states are pushing to enact legislation, protecting a women’s right to a safe, legal abortion.”

The Act would amend or repeal various statutes in the old law to ensure that NYS protects a woman’s right to choose the course of her pregnancy, and to use or refuse contraception. Further, the law would establish a fundamental, statutory right to privacy for women in making personal reproductive decisions.

The National Organization for Women is the largest women’s rights organization in the US comprised of over 500,000 contributing members. NOW-NYS is comprised of over 40,000 contributing members and 22 chapters. The mission of NOW is to achieve true equality for women.