This bill seeks to enhance access to abortion services in New Jersey by codifying the authority of various healthcare providers to perform abortions and clarifying the operational requirements for abortion facilities. It addresses the issue of Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP laws), which are viewed as unnecessary barriers to reproductive healthcare. The legislation solidifies updated regulations into statute, allowing a broader range of medical professionals, including physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, certified midwives, and advanced practice nurses, to be trained and authorized to perform abortion procedures.

Key provisions include defining an "abortion facility" as an ambulatory care facility licensed by the Department of Health that provides abortion services, and specifying that such facilities are not required to be classified as ambulatory surgical facilities if they do not perform procedures requiring general anesthesia. The bill introduces the term "aspiration abortion" to describe the procedure that terminates a pregnancy using suction methods and removes certain limitations for entities seeking licensure as ambulatory care facilities for early aspiration abortions. Overall, the legislation aims to remove unnecessary regulatory burdens while ensuring that healthcare professionals adhere to applicable standards of care, thereby improving access to safe and affordable abortion services.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 45:9-27.11, 45:9-27.16, 45:9-27.19