The bill establishes the Reproductive Health Care Access Fund to enhance access to reproductive health care services in New Jersey. It aims to address gaps in abortion provider availability, particularly in southern counties, and to protect reproductive health clinics from increasing threats, including violence and cyber attacks. The fund will support three key programs: the Reproductive Health Care Clinical Training Program, which ensures a sufficient number of trained health care professionals; the Reproductive Health Care Security Grant Program, which provides grants to high-risk reproductive health care facilities for security measures; and the Reproductive Health Care Facility Loan Program, which offers loans to facilities for operational needs and improvements.
Additionally, the bill mandates the Department of Health to conduct a statewide needs assessment to identify gaps in reproductive health care access and the impact of out-of-state restrictions. It appropriates funds from the General Fund to support these initiatives, including a $5 million allocation for the OBGYN Clinical Training Program and another $5 million for the Reproductive Health Security Grant Program in the FY 2024 budget. The bill emphasizes the importance of sustaining and securing reproductive health care services in the state.