Prop 1 Is A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

Making changes to the New York State Constitution should never be done lightly. It’s an important, foundational document that offers many critical protections, and it is specifically designed to ensure every New York resident has the same opportunity to live a free, happy and prosperous life. Considering the substantial protection it already offers in tandem with the U.S. Constitution, this year’s Ballot Proposal Number One seems like an unnecessary and potentially harmful measure that could actually work against the interests of equity and fairness.

     The ballot proposal is set to add new language to the portion of the New York State Constitution that deals with equal protection under the law. Specifically, it covers “unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy …  reproductive healthcare and autonomy.” There are a lot of buzzwords packed into the amendment, which is being portrayed as another layer of protection for women in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned in U.S. Supreme Court. This is a fallacy.

     In reality, access to abortion in New York is not in jeopardy at all, and if this proposition intended to enshrine those rights it would have included them specifically. The amendment does not reference abortion by name at all, and the items that are included are already protected. As such, this proposal is going to do more harm than good.

     The proposal as written jeopardizes other critical protections existing in state law, namely those of the parents of minors. Under this amendment, minors will more easily be able to seek gender-altering treatments without having to inform their parents. Parents have a right to know what their children are doing, and the mothers and fathers who cook their kids’ dinner should be able to talk about life-altering decisions as they sit at the dining room table to eat it. Further, noncitizens will have an avenue to vote in state elections, and it will be virtually impossible to prevent biological male athletes from competing against women. These policies do little to protect anyone, and the idea that women’s reproductive health is at the heart of this proposal is disingenuous.

     Ballot Proposal Number One is designed to appear progressive and helpful. But at its core, the measure is just a list of hot-button topics already covered under the law masking a thinly veiled attempt to undermine families, parents and communities. It has no place in New York, and I hope it does not make its way into our state’s most important document.

     If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at [email protected]. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or Twitter at @WillABarclay.