Yonkers, NY - New York State Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) spoke at a forum on reproductive rights hosted by NYCD-16 Indivisible at the Yonkers Riverfront Library on Sunday, January 21.

The forum was moderated by Marji Gold, MD. Panelists included Acacia Bamberg Salatti of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, Danielle Castaldi-Micca of the National Institute for Reproductive Health, and Ruchi Mathur, MD. Participants spoke about their goal of making New York State a beacon for reproductive rights by fighting to pass the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act and demanding more accountability from Crisis Pregnancy Centers, which many have accused of withholding certain information about reproductive health options from their patrons.  

Senator Stewart-Cousins has sponsored the Reproductive Health Act in the State Senate. This bill would codify Roe v. Wade in the New York State constitution. She is also a supporter of the Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, which would require insurance companies to cover all FDA-approved contraception without a co-payment and allow for voluntary sterilization services, additional education and counseling regarding contraception, and follow-up services related to all forms of contraception.

Stewart-Cousins also supports a bill that would require all pregnancy service centers to disclose, in writing, whether or not they are staffed with licensed medical providers and whether or not they provide referrals for abortion, emergency services, and prenatal care.

“Women have a basic right to access reproductive healthcare, and we must protect this right from a federal administration which aims to severely limit this access,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. “We must demonstrate leadership and codify protective measures on the state level so any changes on the federal level will not threaten the rights and health of New Yorkers.”