NJ Assemblyman Urges Boycott On States With Abortion ‘Trigger Laws’

NEW JERSEY — A state assemblyman who represents several towns in Essex and Passaic counties is calling for an economic boycott of U.S. states that have rolled out “trigger ban laws” on abortion rights.

Assemblyman John McKeon, a Democratic Party member who represents the state’s 27th Legislative district, said that women’s reproductive and “fundamental health care rights” have been under attack in many states following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June.

The court’s landmark decision – which overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling – spurred a wave of intense debate across the nation, both in its support and against it, including in North Jersey. Read More: Court's Abortion Ruling Stirs Fierce Controversy In Essex County

Now that the court has overturned the decisions, it will be up to states to decide the future of abortion within their own borders. In New Jersey, abortion access is protected by state law via the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which Gov. Phil Murphy signed earlier this year.

On Tuesday, McKeon announced that he is calling for a “multifaceted response” to ensure that women’s rights are protected in the wake of the court ruling.

McKeon said he has written letters to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, various trade organizations, professional sports leagues and labor unions urging them to respond to states that have enacted trigger ban laws limiting a woman’s reproductive rights.

The assemblyman urged the recipients to take their trade shows to a state that “respects women’s health care rights.”

While McKeon is focusing his outreach on the nation’s leading businesses and organizations, he added that individual residents of his district can take action, too.

“You do not have to be a major corporation to make a difference – change your vacation plans and in the future choose not to spend your hard-earned money in states where women cannot exercise control over their health care decisions,” he urged.

“Protest marches raise awareness and it is imperative to exercise our right to vote in support of candidates who respect a woman’s right to be treated equally,” McKeon said.

“However, additional proactive measures are warranted,” he added, referencing the Montgomery Bus Boycott for civil rights that took place in 1955 and 1956.

“We the People must bring economic consequences to those states restricting a woman’s right to direct their own health care,” McKeon charged.

The recently redrawn 27th District includes Livingston, Millburn, Montclair, Roseland and West Orange in Essex County, and Clifton in Passaic County.

NEW JERSEY’S CREDIT

McKeon also recently weighed in about another hot-button issue, the state’s financial credit rating.

Earlier this month, Gov. Phil Murphy and State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio announced that S&P has upgraded the outlook for New Jersey’s general obligation bonds from “stable” to “positive.”

Since the enactment of the FY 2022 state budget last year, New Jersey has received two credit rating upgrades and five outlook upgrades from all four major rating agencies, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

The news got a round of applause from McKeon.

“S&P’s decision, along with other recent credit rating and outlook upgrades, makes it clear that New Jersey is on the right path forward,” the assemblyman said.

“Over the past budget cycles, we have prioritized New Jersey’s future with investments to build our surplus, pay down our debt, and fully fund our pension system to ensure our obligations are met,” McKeon said. “I am proud of what our continued commitment to fiscal responsibility has accomplished for our state.”

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Earlier this week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a study that found the state’s transition to greener energy would ultimately save residents’ money in the long term.

The study also found that the average cost of utilities through 2030 is expected to increase with our current means of energy production.

However, if we continue transitioning to greener options, residents could see as much as a 16 percent long-term reduction in their utility costs, according to McKeon, who released the following statement about the study:

“It is clear that greener alternatives are better for our environment, and through laws that have recently been signed, we will be able to better protect vulnerable communities from pollution. The benefits of transitioning toward cleaner energy sources are vast and Governor Murphy’s plan to hit our green energy goal of 50% clean energy by 2030 is achievable if we take significant steps towards encouraging the use of greener alternatives. This study is one of the first of its kind. We have seen studies proving we need to address climate issues, displaying how effective alternative energy sources can be, and how we can be at the forefront of the clean energy industry, ultimately creating good-paying jobs in New Jersey. This study took those benefits a step further and displayed how, in the long term, New Jersey residents will save a great deal on utility payments. I am very excited by these findings and am enthusiastic about the path our state is on.”

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