Provides access to medication abortion prescription drugs at SUNY and CUNY campuses by employing or contracting with individuals authorized to prescribe such drugs, or by providing referrals.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1395CREVISED4/12/23
SPONSOR: Epstein TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to providing access to
medication abortion prescription drugs at the state university of New
York and the city university of New York
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would require SUNY and CUNY to provide access to medication
abortion to all enrolled students.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the education law by adding a new section 6438-b to
require every SUNY and CUNY campus to provide access to medication
abortion to all enrolled students.
Section 2 requires SUNY and CUNY submit a report to the Governor and the
legislature on the provision of such access.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
For decades, medication abortion has provided a safe, non-invasive, and
effective way to end a pregnancy. According to Planned Parenthood, the
medication has a less than 196 rate of complication and a near 10096
rate of effectively terminating pregnancy, making it one of the safest
and most effective medications.
Medication abortion is different than the "morning after pill," which is
typically already available at public university student health centers.
While the morning after pill is intended to, prevent pregnancy from
occurring, medication abortion is intended to prevent an existing preg-
nancy from progressing.
This bill would ensure that our public colleges provide students with
access to these medication abortion prescription drugs, either by 1)
employing or contracting with authorized prescribers acting within their
scope of practice, or 2) providing students with information and refer-
rals to authorized prescribers acting within their scope of practice.
Such information and referrals must include local providers and tele-
health providers.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2022: A.3322-A (Epstein) - Referred to
Higher Education
2019-2020: A.8743 (Epstein) - Referred to Higher Education
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect August 1, 2023.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1395--C
R. R. 111
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN, DINOWITZ, JACOBSON, GONZALEZ-ROJAS,
CRUZ, SEAWRIGHT, FORREST, REYES, BURDICK, PAULIN, BURGOS, SIMON,
KELLES, RAGA, MAMDANI, THIELE, LUNSFORD, DICKENS, DE LOS SANTOS,
GIBBS, WALLACE, GLICK, HEVESI, SILLITTI, CUNNINGHAM, LEVENBERG, SHIM-
SKY, O'DONNELL, ARDILA, OTIS -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee -- reported and referred to the Committee on Rules
-- ordered to a third reading -- amended on the special order of third
reading, ordered reprinted as amended, retaining its place on the
special order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing access to
medication abortion prescription drugs at the state university of New
York and the city university of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6438-b
2 to read as follows:
3 § 6438-b. Access to medication abortion prescription drugs. 1. Every
4 campus of the state university of New York and every campus of the city
5 university of New York shall provide access to medication abortion to
6 all students enrolled at such institutions by either:
7 (a) employing or contracting with individuals authorized to prescribe
8 medication abortion prescription drugs within their lawful scope of
9 practice pursuant to title eight of this chapter; or
10 (b) providing students with information and referrals to providers
11 authorized to prescribe medication abortion prescription drugs within
12 their lawful scope of practice pursuant to title eight of this chapter.
13 2. Twenty-four months after the effective date of this section, and
14 annually on such date thereafter, the board of trustees of the state
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04340-14-3
A. 1395--C 2
1 university of New York and the board of trustees of the city university
2 of New York shall each submit a report to the governor, the temporary
3 president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly that includes,
4 but is not limited to, the following:
5 (a) whether campuses provide access to medication abortion pursuant to
6 paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subdivision one of this section; and
7 (b) the number of individuals at each campus authorized to prescribe
8 such prescription drugs.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect August 1, 2023. Effective immediately,
10 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
11 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
12 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
