In 2023, New Mexico passed laws protecting reproductive rights making it a safe haven to women seeking abortions.
In 2022, Dobbs v. Jackson overturned Roe v. Wade by determing that the right to an abortion was no longer constitutional. This allowed states to establish their own laws regarding abortion, and since 2022, 22 states have passed motions to ban abortion.
The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act, or HB7, in New Mexico prohibits public bodies, including local municipalities, from denying, restricting or discriminating against an individual’s right to use or refuse reproductive healthcare or healthcare related to gender. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed this bill in March.
“I believe New Mexico will remain a safe haven for women in need because women need a place like New Mexico,” said Makenzie Flenniken, senior public health major. “Although states surrounding New Mexico may pressure them to become anti-abortion, as long as a woman who understands women is fighting for women’s rights, New Mexico will continue to be that safe place.”
Texas, New Mexico’s neighboring state, has a near-total ban on abortion; therefore, New Mexico allotted $10 million to build an abortion clinic near the state’s border.
Some students are worried that public opinion could have an impact on laws placed.
“The public opinion is very influential when it comes to government decisions,” said junior Daly Kennedy, a political science major. “Elections are one of the primary ways in which public opinion translates into political power. Most elected officials are heavily influenced, with their decisions based on the majority of voters in order to keep their seat in favor and to secure a reelection.”
The new laws passed in New Mexico also protect healthcare workers.
The Dobbs decision brought uncertainty to healthcare workers who provide reproductive care. A New Consult survey stated that one in 10 healthcare workers have considered leaving their industry because of new abortion bans or restrictions.
“As nurses, it is our job to advocate for our patients’ values and beliefs, whether we agree with them or not,” said Amy Pickett, senior nursing major. “With recent changes in laws, especially regarding subjects with so much emotion attached to them, it is very important for medical professionals to educate themselves so they can provide medical advice without showing any bias that derives from their own personal beliefs.”
The overturn of Roe changed what care healthcare workers can provide. Students preparing to enter the healthcare industry might have to adjust to these recent changes that could affect their future careers.
“As a student soon to be entering the healthcare field, I think it could be difficult to preserve my values and remain strong in them while still being able to educate and advocate for my patients, no matter what they believe, with an unbiased opinion,” Pickett said.
Many other states are expected to make decisions regarding the legality of abortion and reproductive rights following the Dobbs decision.
