Establishes the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program to provide funding to providers whose primary function is to facilitate access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services and information for low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals and provide support to providers to facilitate access to care, fund uncompensated care, and support community awareness of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services across New York state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6571
SPONSOR: Rozic TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program
PURPOSE::
To reflect in statute, New York's longstanding commitment to supporting
access to comprehensive primary and preventive sexual and reproductive
health care services.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS::
Section 1 titles the bill.
Section 2 amends the public health laws by adding a new article 25-C
2599-DD-1, the Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Program.
Under the proposed title 1, the bill 1. defines terms; 2. affirms the
state's continued commitment to funding primary and preventive sexual
and reproductive health care services; 3. requires the department to
consult experts in the operation of the program; 4. establishes that
funding is subject to subsequent appropriations, but must at a minimum
reflect state and federal funding amounts that were allocated for simi-
lar purposes as of April 1, 2024. Additionally, establishes an annual
cost of living adjustment for the program.
Section 3 provides for a severability clause.
Section 4 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION::
This bill would reflect in statute the state's historic and ongoing
commitment to providing grant funding to non-profit entities to support
the provision of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care to
low-income, uninsured, and under-insured New Yorkers.
Access to affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care
is essential to the physical, emotional and economic well-being of our
communities. New York State has a legacy of investing in programs and
enacting policies that support and advance reproductive freedom, includ-
ing access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care
services. For decades, the state has provided grant funding to a network
of safety-net providers to ensure low-income, uninsured, and underin-
sured New Yorkers can access affordable primary and preventive sexual
and reproductive health care services.
This program, currently known as the Comprehensive Family Planning and
Reproductive Health Program, is supported through a combination of state
and federal funds and has played a vital role in providing communities
across the state with access to essential sexual and reproductive health
care services. The Federal Title X program, established by Congress in
1970 to advance access to birth control and other family planning
related services for low-income individuals, is an important source of
funding for state's the Comprehensive Family Planning and Reproductive
Health Program. However, this federal funding has historically been at
risk. In 2019, New York State was forced to leave the federal Title X
program due to the implementation of certain program requirements that
were antithetical to the state's commitment to providing New Yorkers
with access to comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care
services and information. To address the loss of federal Title X fund-
ing, the State appropriated additional state funding to ensure providers
could continue to provide grant funded services to New Yorkers in need.
Under the Biden Administration, New York was able to return to the Title
X program in 2022 and received $11,808,000 in federal
funds to support this care. However, with a new federal administration,
it is anticipated that New York will once again be forced to leave the
Title X program, resulting in a loss of needed federal funding.
It is essential that New York maintain its longstanding commitment to
providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services and
information and prepare to address any reductions or limitations in
federal funding that support the provision of such care. This legis-
lation will affirm in statute this commitment and support the provision
of a range of primary and preventive sexual and reproductive health care
services critical to the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, including
but not limited to contraception, well-person exams, testing and treat-
ment for STIs and gender affirming care, for those in need.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
This is a new bill in the Assembly.
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6571
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "comprehen-
2 sive sexual and reproductive health program".
3 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 25-C to
4 read as follows:
5 ARTICLE 25-C
6 COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM
7 Section 2599-dd. Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program.
8 § 2599-dd. Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program. 1. As
9 used in this section, the following terms shall have the following mean-
10 ings:
11 (a) "Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care" shall mean a
12 range of health care services and information that positively supports
13 an individual's state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-be-
14 ing in relation to all aspects of sexuality and reproduction.
15 (b) "Program" shall mean the comprehensive sexual and reproductive
16 health program.
17 2. The department shall establish a comprehensive sexual and reproduc-
18 tive health program. Such program shall provide funding to providers
19 whose primary function is to facilitate access to comprehensive sexual
20 and reproductive health care services and information for low-income,
21 uninsured and underinsured individuals. Such program shall be designed
22 to provide support to providers to facilitate access to care, fund
23 uncompensated care, and support community awareness of comprehensive
24 sexual and reproductive health care services across New York state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10506-01-5
A. 6571 2
1 3. In establishing and operating the program, the department shall
2 consult a range of experts whose mission is to provide and/or expand
3 access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive care, to ensure the
4 program structure and expenditures are reflective of the needs of
5 providers and consumers. The department shall promulgate regulations
6 necessary for implementation of the program.
7 4. Funding used to support the program shall be pursuant to funds
8 appropriated by the legislature and pursuant to subsequent chapters of
9 law and shall be, at minimum, equal to the amount appropriated on April
10 first, two thousand twenty-four, including any federal funding, for
11 similar purposes plus an additional five percent increase to such fund-
12 ing annually. Such funding shall also be used to support the cost of
13 administering the program and for any other purpose authorized by this
14 article. The level of expenditure by the department for the administra-
15 tive support of the program created pursuant to this article shall be
16 subject to review and approval annually through the state budget proc-
17 ess.
18 § 3. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part
19 of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to
20 be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the
21 remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause,
22 sentence, paragraph, section or part thereof directly involved in the
23 controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
24 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
