Biaggi advocates for passage of Abortion Access Bill
BY JASON COHEN
While states across the
country enact legislation
that severely restricts access
to abortion care, one
lawmaker is touting New
York’s commitment to reproductive
freedom and
bodily autonomy.
As one in four women
will have an abortion by
age 45, Progressive New
York State Sen. Alessandra
Biaggi is trying
to break down barriers
for reproductive healthcare
for New York women
with her Abortion Access
bill. The legislation, if approved,
would amend the
state fi nance and tax laws
to allow taxpayers to make
a charitable gift on their
personal income tax returns
to organizations like
Planned Parenthood and
other clinics.
The lawmaker said
she’s disgusted that states
like Texas have banned
abortions after six weeks
of pregnancy since Sept.
1. Meanwhile, Mississippi
is trying to enact the
same laws after 15 weeks.
Biaggi, along with many
women’s rights advocates
in the nation, are also worried
Roe v. Wade could
be overturned in the Supreme
Court.
“It (the bill) gives an opportunity
for people who
may not be able to access
traditional child care or
abortion needs,” Biaggi
told the Bronx Times about
her bill.
The senator, who
worked with Planned Parenthood
on crafting the
legislation, said the bill
has been sitting in committee
since 2020 due to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biaggi said the money
would be collected by the
state Comptroller’s Offi ce
and then distributed to
the nonprofi ts that provide
abortion services. This
fund would help the many
women who often can’t afford
an abortion or are unable
to get to an abortion
facility, she said.
The bill has the support
of Democratic Gov.
Kathy Hochul, Biaggi said
in hopes that it passes
through Albany next
month when the Legislature
returns to session.
“It’s our job to send the
bill to her desk,” she said,
referring to Hochul. “A lot
of people believe this is a
no-brainer. When Democrats
delay progress on
access to abortion it kind
of makes us stop and wonder.”
While Biaggi has faith
that the bill will be signed
into law, she fears the country
is headed in the wrong
direction. Many of the people
against abortions are
the same ones who say it’s
their body, their choice
when it comes to the COVID
19 vaccine, according
to the progressive.
“There’s a root with
this, to controlling women’s
bodies, that goes all
the way back to the beginning
of time,” she said. “In
places like Texas and Mississippi,
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 6 EC. 10-16, 2021 BTR
there’s a really
strange philosophy that
if a woman becomes pregnant
and raped, many people
believe she should still
have the child. It doesn’t
make sense. No one should
be forced to raise a child
they didn’t plan to have.”
Progressive Sen. Alessandra Biaggi is calling for her Abortion Access Bill to pass
through the state Legislature. Photo Jason Cohen