Empire State Today

Good morning. An op-ed by John Faso in the Daily News has raised concerns about Proposal 1 on New York's ballot, referred to as the "Equal Rights Amendment" by Governor Hochul and its legislative supporters. According to Faso, this proposal is misleadingly presented as a measure to protect abortion rights, which he argues are not under threat in New York.

Faso points out that New York's abortion law, established in 1970, faces no real danger of being overturned. However, he claims that Proposal 1 could weaken parental rights, affect girls' sports negatively, and extend taxpayer-funded benefits to non-citizens.

He describes Proposal 1 as a "veritable word salad of progressive intentions," noting that it does not explicitly mention "abortion." He warns of potential negative consequences for residents if the amendment passes.

The op-ed also references the Supreme Court's decision on June 24, 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade from 1973. Following this decision, New York's Legislature and Governor Hochul quickly moved to propose a constitutional amendment aimed at safeguarding abortion rights.

The proposed amendment seeks to revise Section 11 of the New York Constitution. This section currently prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, creed or color. The new proposal aims to add protections against discrimination based on age, disability, ethnicity, national origin and sex. The term "sex" is defined broadly to include "sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive healthcare and autonomy," all categories already protected under state law.