Bill to defend reproductive rights proposed

New Mexico lawmakers are looking to protect access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care.House Bill seven, was proposed after counties in southeastern New Mexico passed local ordinances banning abortion in their communities.Rep. Linda Serrato is one of five lawmakers sponsoring the bill, saying it will allow New Mexicans to receive the health care they need.“We want to make sure that in New Mexico, people know that you can get the health care that you need when you need it for reproductive care,” Serrato said. Ethel Maharg is the executive director of the right to life committee of New Mexico.She believes the bill should be split into two separate bills, saying the two proposals don’t necessarily go together. “It has something called reproductive rights. That’s usually associated with abortion, which is not true. And then also then they have transgender rights. So in my estimation, they should separate these bills,” Maharg said. Serrato says that there is no need for gender-affirming health care and reproductive health care to be two separate bills. “So whether that’s gender-affirming care, whether that’s reproductive care, it’s the same thing. It’s health care to make sure that all New Mexicans can get what they need,” Serrato said.Maharg’s organization is pushing for local governments to have the right to decide whether abortion should be allowed in their communities.”Communities have a right to govern themselves. And this is what they’re trying to stop. They cannot stop a community from governing itself,” Maharg said. In the end, supporters of the bill just want to make sure they get the health care they need. “We want to make sure that people aren’t denying themselves or their families health care when really they should be,” Serrato said.

SANTA FE, N.M. —

New Mexico lawmakers are looking to protect access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care.

House Bill seven, was proposed after counties in southeastern New Mexico passed local ordinances banning abortion in their communities.

Rep. Linda Serrato is one of five lawmakers sponsoring the bill, saying it will allow New Mexicans to receive the health care they need.

“We want to make sure that in New Mexico, people know that you can get the health care that you need when you need it for reproductive care,” Serrato said.

Ethel Maharg is the executive director of the right to life committee of New Mexico.

She believes the bill should be split into two separate bills, saying the two proposals don’t necessarily go together.

“It has something called reproductive rights. That’s usually associated with abortion, which is not true. And then also then they have transgender rights. So in my estimation, they should separate these bills,” Maharg said.

Serrato says that there is no need for gender-affirming health care and reproductive health care to be two separate bills.

“So whether that’s gender-affirming care, whether that’s reproductive care, it’s the same thing. It’s health care to make sure that all New Mexicans can get what they need,” Serrato said.

Maharg’s organization is pushing for local governments to have the right to decide whether abortion should be allowed in their communities.

”Communities have a right to govern themselves. And this is what they’re trying to stop. They cannot stop a community from governing itself,” Maharg said.

In the end, supporters of the bill just want to make sure they get the health care they need.

“We want to make sure that people aren’t denying themselves or their families health care when really they should be,” Serrato said.

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