Bill A.6545 – Crespo would make it unlawful for anyone to perform, or to attempt to perform, an abortion “with knowledge that the pregnant female is seeking the abortion solely on account of the sex of the unborn child.” Under this legislation, any licensed abortion provider could have his/her license suspended or revoked for knowingly or recklessly performing, or attempting to perform, a sex-selective abortion. The bill would also allow lawsuits for damages against violators, and would allow such lawsuits to be filed without publicly identifying the women upon whom sex-selective abortions were performed.
By an overwhelming margin, Americans believe that sex-selective abortions should be unlawful. A 2013 national poll found that 85% of Americans supported making sex-selective abortions illegal; only 11% believed that they should remain legal. Sadly, there is evidence suggesting that sex-selective abortions do occur within some populations in the United States and in New York. The sponsor memorandum accompanying this legislation declares that “[t]aking the life of an unborn child simply because of her gender is the ultimate form of discrimination. No nation committed to women’s equality and human dignity can tolerate this shocking, discriminatory disregard for its own children. Sex-selection abortion is morally and culturally devastating, and it has no place in our state.”
The New York Young Republican Club urges passage of this bill.