Legislative Goals
The BPCLC works to advance pro-reproductive health rights legislation and to prevent legislation from being passed that would serve to restrict access to safe and legal abortion, contraception, and comprehensive sex education. During the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, the BPCLC is focused on the bills listed below. Click on the header of each current bill to view the bill's status, primary sponsor and co-sponsors, text, and legislative history.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (S2584-A Brouk/A6616 Nolan, Gottfried)
This bill requires public and charter schools to provide comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to students in grades kindergarten through twelve. CSE shall be age appropriate, medically accurate, and inclusive of all students. This bill provides for the NYSED Commissioner in consultation with the NYSDOH Commissioner to develop a sexuality education program, draft regulations, and make recommendations to the Regents. Boards of Education shall establish advisory groups to make recommendations regarding the curriculum, content, and evaluation of sexuality education. A process will be created for parents to opt their children out of sexuality education.
Limited Services Pregnancy Center Study Bill (S470 Hoylman/A5499 Glick)
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant women in New York and the impact of limited services pregnancy centers on the ability of women to obtain accurate, non-coercive health care information and timely access to a comprehensive range of reproductive and sexual health care services in alignment with their health care needs and that supports personal decision making.
Equal Rights Amendment (S1268 Krueger/A760 Seawright)
This bill provides for equality of rights and protection against discrimination by updating the New York Bill of Rights to reflect the evolution of concepts of equal rights and protections from discrimination that have occurred over the last eighty years.
Sexual Health Care for Minors (S937 Krueger/A822 Paulin)
This bill ensures that minors under the age of eighteen will have access to a full range of sexual health care services, including vaccinations and other preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment without parental knowledge or consent, provided that the minor has the capacity to consent, and provides consent. This bill also updates state law to align with contemporary standards of medical practice by authorizing health care practitioners licensed under title eight of the Education Law, and acting within their scope of practice, to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and provide preventive care of sexually transmissible diseases, including administering immunizations.
Abortion Access Fund (S758 Biaggi/A1926 Reyes)
The purpose of this bill is to break down barriers and aid in access to reproductive health care by establishing the Abortion Access Fund. New York State taxpayers will be able to indicate on their personal income tax return whether they wish to contribute to the fund.
Public University Emergency Contraception Act (S5633 Parker)
This bill requires each college and university of the state university of New York and the city university of New York to provide emergency contraception upon request; provides for the commissioner to establish a statewide emergency contraception college education and awareness program and to distribute informational materials and posters relating to the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception.
Solitary Confinement of Pregnant Inmates and Inmate Mothers (S4277 Lanza /A664 Rozic)
The purpose of this bill is to exclude pregnant inmates, inmates who have given birth within the past eight weeks, and inmate mothers living with infants in prison nursery programs from solitary confinement in New York correctional facilities.
Total Access to Menstrual Products (TAMP) Act (A137 Rosenthal)
The purpose of this legislation is to require menstrual hygiene products, including tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners, be made available for free in restrooms across the state.
Access to Menstrual Products in Homeless Shelters (S6572 Hinchey/A529-A Rosenthal)
This bill will provide feminine hygiene products at no cost to adults and children in homeless shelters throughout New York State.
Reproductive Health Act (S240 Krueger, Stewart-Cousins/A21 Glick)
Passed and signed into law on January 22, 2019
The Reproductive Health Act would update New York’s abortion and contraception laws to recognize a woman’s fundamental right to access safe, legal abortion; ensure a woman’s right to have an abortion if her health is endangered; and treat the regulation of abortion as an issue of public health and medical practice rather than as a potential crime. Passing the Reproductive Health Act would guarantee that women’s reproductive health remains protected in New York, regardless of what happens at the federal level. State legislatures across the country have enacted over 450 bills that would ban or restrict abortion, some of which are a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. All it takes is one of these challenges to reach the Supreme Court and Roe could be overturned. View Frequently Asked Questions about the Reproductive Health Act (RHA)
Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act (S659A Salazar/A585A Cahill)
Passed the Senate and Assembly on January 22, 2019
Requires every applicable group or blanket policy to provide coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and other products, including all FDA-approved over-the-counter contraceptive drugs, devices, and products as prescribed or as otherwise authorized under state or federal law; requires applicable group or blanket policies to cover emergency contraception, voluntary sterilization procedures, patient education and counseling on contraception, and follow-up services related to the drugs, devices, products, and procedures covered; provides for the coverage of dispensation of a 12 month supply of a contraceptive at one time; prohibits applicable group or blanket policies from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on coverage provided.
The “Boss Bill” (S660 Metzger/A584 Jaffee)
Passed the Senate and Assembly on January 22, 2019
Prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or employees’ dependents based on their reproductive health decision making, including but not limited to, the decision to use or access a particular drug, device or medical service without the employee's prior informed, affirmative written consent; prohibits employers from taking retaliatory action and requiring employees to sign a waiver or other document that would deny their rights to make their own reproductive health decisions; provides penalties.
This bill requires public and charter schools to provide comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to students in grades kindergarten through twelve. CSE shall be age appropriate, medically accurate, and inclusive of all students. This bill provides for the NYSED Commissioner in consultation with the NYSDOH Commissioner to develop a sexuality education program, draft regulations, and make recommendations to the Regents. Boards of Education shall establish advisory groups to make recommendations regarding the curriculum, content, and evaluation of sexuality education. A process will be created for parents to opt their children out of sexuality education.
Limited Services Pregnancy Center Study Bill (S470 Hoylman/A5499 Glick)
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study and issue a report examining the unmet health and resource needs facing pregnant women in New York and the impact of limited services pregnancy centers on the ability of women to obtain accurate, non-coercive health care information and timely access to a comprehensive range of reproductive and sexual health care services in alignment with their health care needs and that supports personal decision making.
Equal Rights Amendment (S1268 Krueger/A760 Seawright)
This bill provides for equality of rights and protection against discrimination by updating the New York Bill of Rights to reflect the evolution of concepts of equal rights and protections from discrimination that have occurred over the last eighty years.
Sexual Health Care for Minors (S937 Krueger/A822 Paulin)
This bill ensures that minors under the age of eighteen will have access to a full range of sexual health care services, including vaccinations and other preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment without parental knowledge or consent, provided that the minor has the capacity to consent, and provides consent. This bill also updates state law to align with contemporary standards of medical practice by authorizing health care practitioners licensed under title eight of the Education Law, and acting within their scope of practice, to diagnose, treat, prescribe, and provide preventive care of sexually transmissible diseases, including administering immunizations.
Abortion Access Fund (S758 Biaggi/A1926 Reyes)
The purpose of this bill is to break down barriers and aid in access to reproductive health care by establishing the Abortion Access Fund. New York State taxpayers will be able to indicate on their personal income tax return whether they wish to contribute to the fund.
Public University Emergency Contraception Act (S5633 Parker)
This bill requires each college and university of the state university of New York and the city university of New York to provide emergency contraception upon request; provides for the commissioner to establish a statewide emergency contraception college education and awareness program and to distribute informational materials and posters relating to the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception.
Solitary Confinement of Pregnant Inmates and Inmate Mothers (S4277 Lanza /A664 Rozic)
The purpose of this bill is to exclude pregnant inmates, inmates who have given birth within the past eight weeks, and inmate mothers living with infants in prison nursery programs from solitary confinement in New York correctional facilities.
Total Access to Menstrual Products (TAMP) Act (A137 Rosenthal)
The purpose of this legislation is to require menstrual hygiene products, including tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners, be made available for free in restrooms across the state.
Access to Menstrual Products in Homeless Shelters (S6572 Hinchey/A529-A Rosenthal)
This bill will provide feminine hygiene products at no cost to adults and children in homeless shelters throughout New York State.
Reproductive Health Act (S240 Krueger, Stewart-Cousins/A21 Glick)
Passed and signed into law on January 22, 2019
The Reproductive Health Act would update New York’s abortion and contraception laws to recognize a woman’s fundamental right to access safe, legal abortion; ensure a woman’s right to have an abortion if her health is endangered; and treat the regulation of abortion as an issue of public health and medical practice rather than as a potential crime. Passing the Reproductive Health Act would guarantee that women’s reproductive health remains protected in New York, regardless of what happens at the federal level. State legislatures across the country have enacted over 450 bills that would ban or restrict abortion, some of which are a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. All it takes is one of these challenges to reach the Supreme Court and Roe could be overturned. View Frequently Asked Questions about the Reproductive Health Act (RHA)
Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act (S659A Salazar/A585A Cahill)
Passed the Senate and Assembly on January 22, 2019
Requires every applicable group or blanket policy to provide coverage for all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and other products, including all FDA-approved over-the-counter contraceptive drugs, devices, and products as prescribed or as otherwise authorized under state or federal law; requires applicable group or blanket policies to cover emergency contraception, voluntary sterilization procedures, patient education and counseling on contraception, and follow-up services related to the drugs, devices, products, and procedures covered; provides for the coverage of dispensation of a 12 month supply of a contraceptive at one time; prohibits applicable group or blanket policies from imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on coverage provided.
The “Boss Bill” (S660 Metzger/A584 Jaffee)
Passed the Senate and Assembly on January 22, 2019
Prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or employees’ dependents based on their reproductive health decision making, including but not limited to, the decision to use or access a particular drug, device or medical service without the employee's prior informed, affirmative written consent; prohibits employers from taking retaliatory action and requiring employees to sign a waiver or other document that would deny their rights to make their own reproductive health decisions; provides penalties.