Governor Phil Murphy today signed a bill restoring $7.45 million in funding to Planned Parenthood and other women’s health facilities, the first legislation he has signed since taking office as New Jersey Governor.  

“We cannot immediately undo the damage of eight years of vetoed women’s health care funding under Governor Christie,” Murphy said. “But we can put the era of putting personal politics before the needs of countless thousands of New Jerseyans behind us. We are one state, one family, and we will stand in support of everyone’s access to family planning, to prenatal care, and to life-saving cancer screenings.”

The bill (S120/A2134) was sponsored by State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senator Kip Bateman, and Senator Linda Greenstein. In the Assembly, the bill was sponsored by Assembly members Vince Mazzeo, Joanne Downey, Gabby Mosquera, Pam Lampitt, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Angelica Jimenez, Eliana Pintor Marin, Shavonda Sumter, Joe Lagana, Raj Mukherji, and Mila Jasey.   

Murphy also signed legislation (S105/A1656) providing Medicaid coverage for family planning services to low-income individuals.  

The Governor also announced that New Jersey will remove NJ FamilyCare’s restriction on Long-Acting Reversible Contraception immediately post-partum. That change will decrease the odds of rapid repeat pregnancies that have higher incidence of adverse costly perinatal complications, including low birth weight and an increased rate of preterm delivery.