Cuomo Isn’t Sure About Abortion Rights Bill He Previously Supported

On Fred Dicker’s radio show this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo was asked about the Reproductive Health Act and punted. Sign Up

(Photo: Getty)

On Fred Dicker’s radio show this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo was asked about the Reproductive Health Act and punted.

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“I don’t know if I have taken a public position on it, Fred,” Mr. Cuomo said of the bill. “I don’t know if I’ve taken a position on this bill, obviously I’m a long-term supporter of reproductive rights.”

However, in the past, Mr. Cuomo has directly stated his support for the legislation and indeed even raised the issue in his State of the State speech this year. His spokesman, Josh Vlasto, reiterated Mr. Cuomo’s support over Twitter and said Mr. Cuomo’s comments came purely in the context of what he would discuss with Cardinal Timothy Dolan in a meeting today.

“To continue to vigorously protect a woman’s right to choose, Governor Cuomo pledged to fight for passage of the Reproductive Health Act,” a January press release read. “The Act protects the fundamental right of reproductive freedom and ensures that the rights of individuals to make difficult and personal health care decisions are preserved.”

The bill in question aims to modernize aims to modernize New York’s laws regarding abortion and reproductive health issues.

“Most states recognize that reproductive health are health decisions … Here in New York State, something we have is that a doctor committing an abortion is not a criminal act,” State Senator Liz Krueger said, explaining the need for the legislation to The Politicker in January. “New York is proud to have passed reproductive rights legislation before Roe v. Wade, but we never passed modernizing legislation.”

Cuomo Isn’t Sure About Abortion Rights Bill He Previously Supported