MONTCLAIR - Soon after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v, Wade prematurely leaked in May of 2022, Mikie Sherrill, then a congresswoman, joined an impromptu protest rally outside the local office of Planned Parenthood.

Now the governor, Sherrill returned Thursday for a happier occasion.

Before supportive lawmakers - and just supporters - Sherrill signed legislation bolstering protection for those seeking abortion and gender-affirming care in New Jersey.

The legislation, of course, covers state residents, but a big part of the package is designed to protect out-of-state residents who visit New Jersey for abortion or gender-affirming needs.

"States like New Jersey ... have to stand in the breach and protect the freedoms of women," the governor said, speaking under a tent outside the agency's N. Fullerton Avenue office.

Is this an issue?

After the official overturning of Roe in June, 2022, many conservative-leaning states moved to ban just about all abortions. That also led to threats that some of these states would seek to prosecute residents who traveled out of state for an abortion.

While trying to do that could be legally dubious, the legislation, nonetheless, strives to protect those coming to New Jersey for reproductive care.

It specifically restricts state hospitals, clinics etc. from helping out of state investigators seeking info on those receiving abortion services in the state. It also protects those providing that service.

More broadly, the legislation makes it a crime to "injure, threaten, intimidate, or physically block patients or providers, or to damage property in an effort to interfere with reproductive healthcare services."

The area outside abortion clinics often prompts protests. There already are laws and court rulings protecting access - and the right to protest. The new legislation bolsters the right of individuals to enter abortion facilities without interference.

The legislation also ads gender-affirming care to "the definition of protected reproductive healthcare services."

The governor was asked afterwards about gender-affirming surgery for children. She said that should be left to individual families.

The ceremony today looked a bit like a giant street party. Dozens of state lawmakers were on hand, including Sen Teresa Ruiz, the Senate Majority Leader, and Craig Coughlin, the Assembly Speaker.

The estimated crowd was at least 100.

No surprise there. Reproductive rights is a major issue for Democrats and likely will continue to be so in the midterms.

Sherrill said this is a health care issue first and foremost, noting that pregnant women have faced fatal consequences in states where doctors are afraid to perform life-saving surgeries.

With that in mind, the governor said:

"I'm going to take on whoever tries to mess with New Jersey's health care."