The state of New Jersey continues to push for access to abortion without limits – even beyond its state border.
The New Jersey legislature has passed a bill issuing a “reproductive health travel advisory” for New Jersey women seeking abortions in other states.
The “New Jersey Reproductive Health Travel Advisory” was warranted, according to the text of the bill, due to “a need to create an advisory that will inform New Jersey residents of the extent to which states within the United States limit reproductive health care services so that they may make informed travel decisions while pregnant.”
The proposed advisory came after much debate, passing the state Senate in October 2024 and the state House June 30 of this year. New Governor Phil Murphy had not signed the bill as of press time.
It requires the New Jersey Department of State to establish the travel advisory and use color coding for abortion access in other states, urging different levels of “caution” over travel to each state depending on the abortion regulation there.
The bill describes the caution colors:
(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.