Letter to the Editor: In Praise of NY Leadership

To the Editor and readers of River Journal:

I write in praise of our New York State government leaders. Where other states pass laws that force women to endure unnecessary pelvic exams (Missouri) and government-forced pregnancy (Alabama), our elected officials improve the health of New Yorkers:

• They passed the Reproductive Health Act and Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, two laws that mean a New York woman controls her own body — not politicians, not insurers.
• They set up a Maternal Mortality Review Board to find out why New York ranks 30th in the US with too many mothers dying.^[1]
• They passed the Boss Bill and now a New York woman gets to decide what contraceptive to use, not her employer.

By these measures the leaders of the State Senate, State Assembly and the Governor make New York a healthier place to live.

I personally thank them for keeping politics out of my medical exam room. I urge you to thank them too.

Sincerely,

Kate Permut
Scarborough, NY

^[1] https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-receives-report-new-york-state-taskforce-maternal-mortality-and-disparate-racial