With a Friday deadline Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed Senate Bill 13 into law. The legislation protects reproductive health and gender affirming care providers from certain civil and criminal liabilities.
Senate Bill 13 prevents discrimination by the licensing boards of their specialties and by other states where activities protected in New Mexico are not.
It was one of the main issues Gov. Lujan Grisham wanted to be addressed by the legislature as part of a series of bills to protect and defend reproductive rights in New Mexico.
The legislation codifies protections the Governor outlined in an Executive Order last August.
Lujan Grisham says the law will go a long way as it protects doctors as they do what they believe is best for their patients.
“Reproductive care is broad,” she said. “I’ve told my story. I was 21 and had a physician tell me that I needed a complete and radical hysterectomy and (I thought) ‘You’re done, at 21.’ I got to see a different professional who took a chance on medical care and I have two beautiful daughters. Everyone deserves every aspect of reproductive care.”
SB 13 also prohibits public bodies from restricting access to abortion and gender-affirming health care.
It’s i n response to other states passing very restrictive abortion and gender care legislation including policies encouraging citizens to “turn in” those seeking abortion care, along with laws allowing private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone else who helps a woman obtain an abortion including giving a woman a ride to a clinic or provided financial assistance for the procedure.
The Governor has until Friday at noon to sign bills into law.
