December 22, 2025 – NCJW NY Statement on the passage of Shield 2.0 (S.4914-B/A.5480-C)

NCJW NY thanks Governor Hochul and the New York Legislature upon the signing of the Shield 2.0 law (Strengthening Legal Protections for Gender-Affirming Care & Reproductive Health Care). This legislation significantly strengthens New York’s shield law protections for patients and providers of abortion and gender-affirming care against efforts to investigate and punish individuals providing or receiving legal health care in New York.

We thank all our advocates who joined in the campaign, and signed and distributed postcards, made phone calls, and texted and emailed the Governor’s office in support of this legislation.

These additional protections are especially important as we see hostile states and the federal government increasingly attempt to criminalize or restrict access to essential health care across state lines. You can read the Attorney General’s statement here, and the statement of NCJW NY’s Executive Director below:

“The National Council of Jewish Women New York celebrates the passage of the Shield Law 2.0, a critical victory that ensures New York state continues to protect medical professionals who provide reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care,” said Andrea Salwen Kopel, Executive Director of the National Council of Jewish Women New York. “Jewish texts and traditions value the life and health of pregnant people and support their right to seek and receive the care they need without fear or coercion. Ensuring legal protection for both providers and patients aligns with these core Jewish values and upholds justice and compassion for all. At a time when access and safety are under attack across the country, Shield 2.0 solidifies New York’s role as a beacon of reproductive freedom and protection in an increasingly hostile national landscape.”

While we celebrate the passage of Shield 2.0, NCJW NY is committed to obtaining enforceable health data privacy protections that put control in the hands of New Yorkers, and will continue to advocate for those protections in 2026.