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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5981
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed 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
S. 5981 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.
