Hey, Texas! We’ll take your women’s healthcare doctors if you don’t want them, N.J. says.

New Jersey is appealing to frustrated reproductive health providers in the Lone Star State with four billboards encouraging obstetricians, gynecologists and other providers of women’s health care to relocate.

The billboards, located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and San Antonio near major university hospitals and medical schools, are part of the “Choose New Jersey Reproductive Rights Campaign” which launched on April 14.

One billboard states “In New Jersey, your patient’s care is prioritized. Not compromised.” Another billboard reads “New Jersey: where health care providers determine patient care, not politicians.”

The billboards are paid for by Choose New Jersey, an independent nonprofit organization created under former Governor Chris Christie’s administration focused on driving economic growth and attracting businesses to the state.

Choose New Jersey was awarded a $21.3 million contract by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for business attraction and marketing services in June of 2023. Spending for the “Choose New Jersey Reproductive Rights Campaign,” which includes the four billboards located in Texas, comes from this source.

The organization’s campaign aims to recruit current and future reproductive health care providers who are facing increasing restrictions to practice in southern states.

Texas, which has a total abortion ban, has made headlines for investigating and arresting providers who provide abortion care. It’s unclear if the reproductive rights campaign has plans for more billboards in other states, but in 2022 a similar campaign was used in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Texas.

In addition to the billboards, the campaign has a digital component involving search, display, social media ads, and a website.

The website outlines New Jersey’s protections for reproductive rights to medical students and health care providers around the country. For example, New Jersey health care providers cannot be disciplined for performing abortion-related services and the state prohibits any board from cooperating in interstate investigations involving health care providers who provided abortion services.

The website also pointedly states that in New Jersey, “reproductive health care is based on science, not politics.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 2022, abortion has been banned in 13 states, and another 6 states have implemented early gestational limits between 6 and 12 weeks, according to health nonprofit KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.

New Jersey is one of nine states and Washington D.C. with no limits on abortion.

Gov. Phil Murphy has made attracting OB-GYNs to the state a priority under his administration.

In his February state budget speech, Murphy announced he was allocating $2 million in the coming year to help recruit providers of women’s health care. This money will be used to defray moving costs and loan forgiveness programs for doctors and nurse practitioners who are willing to relocate to the Garden State, according to the Murphy administration.

The state has seen an increase in the demand for abortion services since the June 2022 ruling that overturned the precedent set by Roe v. Wade.

“New Jersey is facing a looming shortage of reproductive health care providers. And, with this investment, New Jersey will get ahead of that challenge by creating a new pipeline for these professionals,” Murphy said during his state budget address.

In February, Murphy said that beyond its practical benefits, the OB-GYN incentive program is also about defending New Jersey values.

“Because if these health care heroes are going to be targeted by politicians elsewhere, we will always stand up for them and their ability to provide care. My priority is ensuring that every woman can access the best possible health care, when they need it. Period,” said Murphy in his budget address.