The bill explicitly states a woman who has an abortion is not committing an offence, and allows abortions on request up to 22 weeks' gestation performed by a registered doctor. Loading Women beyond 22 weeks would need the consent of two doctors, and emergency provisions would allow a doctor to perform a termination without consulting a second doctor to save the life of a woman or another fetus. Doctors who have a conscientious objection must disclose this to their patient and refer or transfer her to the care of another doctor who has no objection. The private member's bill also creates a new criminal offence with a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment for any unqualified person who performs or assists in an abortion.

"The bill ensures women in NSW have access to safe and lawful terminations without the threat of criminal convictions and provides doctors with the legal clarity they have long sought," Mr Greenwich said. "This is about regulating a medical procedure that currently occurs in NSW," he said. The bill is modelled largely on Queensland's abortion reforms as well as Victorian legislation, which were both informed by extensive Law Reform Commission reviews. With its working group of cross-party MPs including National Trevor Khan, Labor's Penny Sharpe and Jo Haylen, with oversight from Mr Hazzard, the bill sent a clear signal that decriminalising abortion was a non-partisan healthcare issue. It has significantly better prospects of success than the failed 2017 bill introduced by then Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi. The new bill addresses the critical concerns that led pro-choice MPs to vote against the Greens bill, specifically the lack of a legal framework, gestation age criteria and clarity for doctors.

The Bill overcame a crucial hurdle by securing the support of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) NSW, which dropped its preference for another Law Reform Commission review. Loading Mr Greenwich said there was "strong support" for abortion law reform from MPs across Parliament. "They're surprised abortion is still in the Crimes Act and there is embarrassment that NSW is the only state that hasn't moved forward and there is a great sense of urgency to have this resolved." Mr Hazzard welcomed the "carefully considered" bill to address what was fundamentally a women's health issue.

"Women in NSW should have the same rights over their bodies and reproductive health as women in Queensland and Victoria and doctors should be protected for performing this medical procedure that is properly regulated," he said. The working group considered advice from an alliance of over 70 organisations including the Women's Electoral Lobby and Family Planning NSW. Wendy McCarthy, chairwoman of the Women's Electoral Lobby's decriminalisation roundtable said the success of the bill would be "extraordinary" progress and vindication for women who have fought for decades for reproductive rights against NSW's "archaic" laws. "I feel quite emotional about it," Ms McCarthy said. "I am delighted this is being led by an independent MP and the Health Minister and it's a wonderful thing that there is support across Parliament," Ms McCarthy said. Mr Greenwich will brief Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday. He hopes the bill will be co-sponsored and addressed by Parliament in the first sitting fortnight.

The Premier and the Labor opposition have both indicated their MPs would be given a conscience vote. Loading The bill will face strong opposition from members opposed to abortion reform, and Mr Greenwich said he was prepared for robust debate. "A member's personal and religious views may very well inform how they vote ... but I hope that people can put the interests of women first." AMA NSW president Kean Seng Lim welcomed the clarity the bill provided doctors.

"What we would like to see in NSW is women not feel concerned about approaching a medical professional to discuss abortion," Dr Lim said. Abortion in NSW The NSW Crimes Act 1900 states "a woman with child" can be jailed for up to 10 years if she "unlawfully administers to herself any drug or noxious thing, or unlawfully uses any instrument or other means" to terminate her pregnancy. A doctor who unlawfully performs abortion can also fall foul of the Crimes Act. In practice, abortions are frequently performed in NSW and the provisions in the NSW Crimes Act are rarely used.