New York Governor Kathy Hochul drew widespread criticism for inviting Florida residents to New York for abortions after Florida’s Supreme Court upheld a 15-week abortion ban.
Hochul called Florida’s upcoming 6-week ban “disgraceful” but New York allows abortion up to 24 weeks for any reason and has no restrictions after that if deemed necessary for “health,” which is undefined and allows abortion up until birth.
“Let me be clear: If you need care, New York will be your safe harbor,” Hochul wrote.
Touting the killing of the unborn like it’s a tourist attraction is disgraceful! Oh, thank you for acknowledging that killing the unborn is still legal in places like NY so you don’t need Roe v Wade. 😑
— Gerrit Cramer (@cramer_gerrit) April 1, 2024
Most social media responses condemned Hochul for touting late-term abortion as a “tourist attraction” and punishing babies that could survive outside the womb.
The issue of abortion will be prominent in Florida’s November election as there is a ballot amendment to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution.
“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” the amendment states.
While abortion will galvanize Democratic voters, Hochul’s comments were widely ridiculed given New York’s crime and population loss issues, undermining her criticism of Florida’s laws.
