On August 20, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed S2260 (full text) into law. The governor’s press release announcing the signing of the bill describes it:
The legislation, S2260/A2218, signed today expands existing protections for reproductive healthcare patients and providers. New protections include:
Helping patients physically access care by making 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;
Empowering patients and providers by allowing them to take legal action against individuals who interfere with their access to or delivery of protected care; and
Protecting healthcare providers from professional penalties or adverse actions involving their medical malpractice insurance for providing reproductive healthcare that is legal in New Jersey.
The legislation also expands New Jersey’s shield laws by expressly including gender-affirming care in the definition of protected reproductive healthcare services. This extends existing protections to patients seeking and providers delivering gender-affirming care in New Jersey. These protections include:
Protecting patient information related to reproductive healthcare from disclosure without prior authorization, as provided by law;
Restricting State entities from assisting certain out-of-state investigations or legal proceedings that seek to impose liability for providing or receiving protected reproductive healthcare; and
Protecting professional licenses by preventing licensing boards from taking action against a provider solely for providing protected reproductive healthcare.
In response, the New Jersey Catholic Conference has issued guidance for anti-abortion protesters in a document titled FAQs Regarding S2260 & Pro-life Activities. It advises in part:
Our call to be a peaceful, prayerful presence for mothers and their children has not changed. This new law does not stop you from praying, witnessing, or offering help outside a facility — it simply draws a clear line around a small set of specific actions. You are encouraged to be aware of that line, stay confidently on the right side of it, and continue this important ministry without fear….
YOU ARE FREE TO: Stand and pray on the public sidewalk; Hold signs; Offer a pamphlet or speak to someone once, as they approach; Sing, read Scripture, or hold a peaceful, stationary vigil; Film, photograph, or post about your own vigil
SIMPLY AVOID: Blocking or standing in a driveway, entrance, or exit; Following or continuing to talk to someone after they say no; Touching, grabbing, or making physical contact with anyone; Threatening, or using/threatening force against, anyone; Physically stopping someone from moving; Making it difficult for someone to access the facility; Damaging the facility’s or anyone’s property….