Editor:
New Mexico has an antiquated statute on the books that was signed into law before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade in 1973. If we don’t remove this statute, healthcare providers could face jail time for providing safe and legal healthcare. While most of this outdated law is currently unenforceable, that could change if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
House Bill 51 would repeal that old statute and keep abortion safe, legal, and regulated. A lot of misinformation has circulated around this bill. It is simply about making sure that providers and those seeking care don’t face jail time for providing and seeking safe and legal abortion.
The truth is, the decision to end a pregnancy is never easy. Every pregnancy is different and so are the circumstances that surround each.
As the Indigenous Women’s Health Program Manager at Tewa Women United, I work every day with rural and Indigenous families who are currently pregnant and parenting. I can say that the decisions made are personal and are as varied as the families who make them.
With all the stigma surrounding safe and legal reproductive healthcare, it is important that our communities can still turn to providers they trust. If we are unable to pass HB51 this session, rural and indigenous families will be the first impacted. New Mexican families need us to act now.
Jessica Lujan
Santa Cruz