Testimony regarding Examination of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Rates in NYS

The Bronx Defenders, Drug Policy Alliance, New York Civil Liberties Union, and Pregnancy Justice submit this collective testimony on behalf of the New York Informed Consent Coalition to lend our strong support to the work to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and better the lives of families and communities across New York State.

As New York looks for ways to improve maternal health, especially for Black pregnant and postpartum people, it must address the systemic barriers that deter people from accessing vital prenatal health care, including non-consensual drug testing. This is especially true in an environment where reproductive freedom is under unprecedented attack and people are increasingly surveilled and criminalized because of their pregnancy status. New York must make crystal clear that pregnancy is no reason to surveil and punish a person through secret testing and reporting and affirm that pregnant people have every right to consent to all aspects of medical care. We urge the Senate to pass the Maternal Health, Dignity, and Consent Act without delay.