SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3663

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 7, 2024

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3663.

      This bill requires the Department of State to establish the “New Jersey Reproductive Health Travel Advisory” to inform New Jersey residents of the extent to which states within the United States restrict access to reproductive healthcare services.

      Pursuant to this bill, the travel advisory is to provide a description of each state in the United States with respect to reproductive healthcare services, including but not limited to, gestational duration bans, waiting periods, insurance coverage bans, medication restrictions, constitutional protections, reproductive health care funding, and criminal and civil liability for patients and healthcare providers.  The travel advisory is required to provide the information according to the following tiered system:

      (1)  “Blue: Exercise normal caution,” which signifies that pregnant individuals have access to all forms of reproductive medical care without fear of civil or criminal prosecution;

      (2) “Yellow: Exercise increased caution,” which signifies that pregnant individuals have restricted access to reproductive medical care that could result in civil or criminal prosecution; and

      (3) “Red: Reconsider travel,” which signifies that pregnant individuals have extremely restricted access to reproductive medical care that could result in an adverse medical outcome, pregnant individuals being subject to civil or criminal prosecution, and individuals seeking emergency reproductive medical care  not being provided life-saving care due to state law.

      The Department of State is to publish the travel advisory in a prominent location on its website and update the advisory for each state every time a state experiences a change in its law, rules, or regulations concerning reproductive healthcare services.