This bill seeks to enhance protections for patients and providers involved in reproductive health and gender-affirming care in New Jersey, particularly in response to restrictive legal changes in other states. It establishes the right for residents and visitors to access these services safely and defines key terms such as "legally protected health care activity" and "gender-affirming health care services." The bill amends existing laws to ensure that health care providers are not penalized for offering legal services in New Jersey, even if those services are illegal elsewhere, and prohibits the use of state resources to assist in investigations from other states that could impose liability on individuals for engaging in these activities.

Additionally, the legislation introduces the crime of interference with reproductive or gender-affirming health services, which includes actions like obstructing access to facilities and unauthorized recording of individuals. It outlines penalties for these offenses, ranging from disorderly persons offenses to second-degree crimes, and allows for civil actions against offenders. The bill also updates laws to affirm the right to choose assisted reproductive technology, clarifies that a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights, and removes the requirement for medical examiners to investigate fetal deaths without medical attendance. Overall, the bill aims to safeguard access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care while imposing strict penalties for interference and repealing outdated statutes related to abortion and parental notification.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 45:1-22, 2A:160-14.1, 2A:84A-22.18, 2A:84A-22.19, 10:7-2, 26:6B-10