The Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact Act authorizes the Governor of New Jersey to enter into a compact with other states, districts, or territories to protect and enhance women's reproductive health care services. The compact aims to address the challenges faced by women in accessing reproductive health care, particularly in states that impose restrictions on abortion. It includes provisions that require member states to collaborate in preventing the extradition or investigation of individuals involved in providing or receiving reproductive health care services, safeguarding records from disclosure, and prohibiting negative licensing actions against health care providers. Additionally, the compact seeks to prevent the external collection of identifiable data related to individuals seeking these services.
The bill outlines that certain data collections are excluded from the compact, specifically those not related to women's reproductive health care services and any information that would violate federal or state privacy laws. It also establishes a process for member states to withdraw from the compact with six months' notice and designates the attorney general of each member state to enforce the compact. The compact is intended to be liberally construed to fulfill its objectives, and it includes provisions for its validity in the event of legal challenges. The act will take effect 60 days after enactment.