Gov. Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 10, repealing 1969 abortion ban

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed Senate Bill 10 into law, repealing a 1969 statue that criminalized abortion.

“A woman has the right to make decisions about her own body,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Anyone who seeks to violate bodily integrity, or to criminalize womanhood, is in the business of dehumanization. New Mexico is not in that business – not any more. Our state statutes now reflect this inviolable recognition of humanity and dignity. I am incredibly grateful to the tireless advocates and legislators who fought through relentless misinformation and fear-mongering to make this day a reality. Equality for all, equal justice and equal treatment – that’s the standard. And I’m proud to lead a state that today moved one step closer to that standard.”

The House approved the abortion-rights bill on a 40-30 vote last week.

“The time has finally come to get this outdated abortion law off the books and ensure that we keep abortion accessible, safe and legal in New Mexico,” Sen. Linda Lopez, lead sponsor of SB 10, said. “Thank you to Governor Lujan Grisham for signing this legislation, thank you to every one of my fellow bill sponsors and community advocates, and thank you to all of the voters of New Mexico who made your voices heard in the last election. Abortion is a personal health care decision. We can hold our own moral values on abortion and still trust individuals to make their own reproductive health care decisions.”

The 1969 state law criminalizing abortion was not currently enforced because the U.S. Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade in 1973, legalizing abortion nationwide.