Abortion in New Jersey is governed by the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which codified codifying the since-overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Democrat legislators have resisted attempts by the stridently pro-abort Democrat governor Phil Murphy to expand abortion in New Jersey: On January 13, during a lame duck session of the legislature after some stunning defeats of Democrats in 2021, including defeat of the Senate Speaker Steve Sweeney, a watered-down version of what Murphy wanted passed without any Republican support. Only 23 of the Senate’s 24 Democrats and 46 of the Assembly’s 52 Democrats supported it, with some notably absences particularly among certain ethnic groups.[1]
Even in its weakened form, there were significant Democrats who declined to support Democrat governor Phil Murphy's extremely pro-abortion bill:
“ | Democrats didn’t unanimously support the watered down version of the legislation either. Sen. Fred Madden voted no and seven Assembly Democrats either abstained or didn’t vote at all: Wayne DeAngelo; Joe Egan; Tom Giblin; Gabriela Mosquera; Gary Schaer; Annette Quijano; and Angelica Jimenez.[2] | ” |
“ | In 2019, more than 1,300 out-of-state residents received abortions in New Jersey, according to the latest data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[1] | ” |
But New Jersey does not pay for non-residents to travel there to have an abortion.[3]
New Jersey is one of the few states that encourages practitioners other than physicians to perform abortions, with no meaningful legal remedy for women who are injured by such abortions.