Respect Life

A fundamental tenet of Catholic teaching is that each human life is sacred and that society should protect human life at every stage of its existence. We believe that all government actions should be judged by how it addresses the dignity of life and family. Therefore, we support legislative and policy efforts that support and enhance life. Our special concern for those who are vulnerable - children in the womb, young, old, disabled, poor, hungry, homeless, immigrant or those who are ill - is rooted in Scared Scripture which calls us to speak on behalf of the vulnerable and to alleviate their pain, suffering, and anxiety by direct action.
 

March 5, 2021 - Today, the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC), which represents the Catholic bishops and dioceses of New Jersey, submitted comments to the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners strongly opposing proposed amendments to regulations regarding Surgery, Special Procedures, and Anesthesia Services Performed in an Office Setting.

Proposed amendments by the State would advance policies that threaten the sanctity of life and other human rights.  More specifically, such policies would allow non-physicians to perform abortions after 14 weeks of gestation, permit these abortions in office-based settings, and eliminate the requirement of hospital admitting privileges to medical professionals performing these procedures. To read the Board’s proposed changes, click HERE.

In their letter, the NJCC challenges the justification for the proposed amendments.

“As proposed, the Board asserts that the current health and safety regulations for abortions in New Jersey present an undue burden that limits access to these procedures. However, recent statistics on the number of abortions performed in New Jersey suggests otherwise.”

According to the most recent data available, in 2017 New Jersey accounted for 5.6% of abortions performed in the United States. Additionally, between 2014 and 2017, New Jersey experienced a 9% increase in abortions while the remainder of the country witnessed an 8% decreases in the abortions.

Furthermore, unlike other States, New Jersey has no major limitations on abortions, such as parental notification, mandated waiting periods or limitation on public funding to subsidize these procedures.

The NJCC urges the Board not to adopt the proposed amendments.

“This data, as well as the absence of any major restrictions on abortions and the continued allocation of New Jersey tax dollars for these services, suggests that the Board’s decision to amend these rules is nothing more than an arbitrary and capricious change of regulations for reasons other than medical necessity. For this reason, I am asking the State Board of Medical Examiners to not adopt the amendments proposed in PR 2021-002.”

In the coming weeks, the State must respond to all submitted written comments and post notice of any changes to the rules.

To read NJCC's full letter, click HERE
To sign up for the NJCC Action Alert Network, click HERE


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