Add SS360-a & 6206-a, Ed L; amd S206, Pub Health L
Enacts the "public university emergency contraception act"; requires every college and university of the state university of New York and the city university of New York to provide emergency contraception to any student requesting it; requires the widespread provision of information at such colleges and universities on the safety and availability of emergency contraception on campus; authorizes the commissioner of health to establish a statewide emergency contraception college education and awareness program, and requires such commissioner to develop informational materials relating to emergency contraception.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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6275
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 20, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
of A. CAHILL, O'DONNELL, ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation
to enacting the "public university emergency contraception act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds
2 that access to emergency contraception is a basic measure that can
3 prevent college students from having an unwanted pregnancy. The federal
4 Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of emergency contra-
5 ception as safe and effective in the prevention of pregnancy. Emergency
6 contraception has been found to have no effect on an established preg-
7 nancy. Medical research strongly indicates that the sooner emergency
8 contraception is administered, the better the chance of preventing an
9 unwanted pregnancy. Therefore, the legislature deems it essential that
10 each college and university of the state university of New York and the
11 city university of New York provide information on emergency contracep-
12 tion to its students and makes it available to any student who seeks it
13 whenever practicable and in accordance with applicable law and profes-
14 sional standards of practice.
15 § 2. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
16 "public university emergency contraception act".
17 § 3. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
18 subdivision 29 to read as follows:
19 29. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
20 the commissioner is authorized to establish a statewide emergency
21 contraception college education and awareness program for each college
22 and university of the state university of New York and the city univer-
23 sity of New York. For the purpose of this subdivision, "emergency
24 contraception" shall mean one or more prescription drugs, used separate-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09564-01-5
A. 6275 2
1 ly or in combination, in a dosage and manner for preventing pregnancy
2 when used after intercourse, found safe and effective for that use by
3 the United States Food and Drug Administration, and dispensed for that
4 purpose in accordance with applicable law and professional standards of
5 practice.
6 (b) The commissioner shall develop, produce and distribute to every
7 college and university of the state university of New York and the city
8 university of New York informational materials and posters relating to
9 the safety and efficacy of emergency contraception to be conspicuously
10 displayed at appropriate locations around each campus, and distributed
11 to students in a manner to be determined by each college and university.
12 The materials and posters shall explain the nature of emergency contra-
13 ception, including that it is deemed safe and effective in preventing
14 pregnancy by the federal Food and Drug Administration, and cannot and
15 does not cause abortions.
16 (c) In implementing the provisions of this subdivision the commission-
17 er shall consult with representatives of health care practitioners,
18 students and affected employees.
19 § 4. The education law is amended by adding a new section 360-a to
20 read as follows:
21 § 360-a. Emergency contraception. 1. Each college and university of
22 the state university shall conspicuously display at appropriate
23 locations around the campus and distribute to students in a manner
24 determined by such college or university materials and posters relating
25 to emergency contraception, distributed to it pursuant to subdivision
26 twenty-nine of section two hundred six of the public health law. Each
27 college and university of the state university of New York may also
28 approve informational materials and posters from other sources for the
29 purposes of this subdivision.
30 2. Each college and university of the state university, in consulta-
31 tion with the department of health, shall adopt and implement rules
32 requiring that any health service operating as part of the college or
33 university which provides treatment to students shall provide, upon the
34 request of any student of such college or university, emergency contra-
35 ception in accordance with applicable law and professional standards of
36 practice.
37 3. This section does not require any health service to remain open any
38 hours or days it ordinarily is not open, or to provide treatment to
39 students if it ordinarily does not provide such services, or to have
40 available a health care professional authorized to write prescriptions
41 if it ordinarily does not have such a health care professional avail-
42 able.
43 4. In implementing the provisions of this section each college and
44 university shall consult with representatives of health care practition-
45 ers, students and affected employees.
46 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6206-a to
47 read as follows:
48 § 6206-a. Emergency contraception. 1. Each institution of the city
49 university of New York shall conspicuously display at appropriate
50 locations around the campus and distribute to students in a manner
51 determined by such institution materials and posters relating to emer-
52 gency contraception, distributed to it pursuant to subdivision twenty-
53 nine of section two hundred six of the public health law. Each institu-
54 tion of the city university of New York may also approve informational
55 materials and posters from other sources for the purposes of this subdi-
56 vision.
A. 6275 3
1 2. Each institution of the city university of New York, in consulta-
2 tion with the department of health, shall adopt and implement rules
3 requiring that any health service operating as part of the college or
4 university which provides treatment to students shall provide, upon the
5 request of any student of such institution, emergency contraception in
6 accordance with applicable law and professional standards of practice.
7 3. This section does not require any health service to remain open any
8 hours or days it ordinarily is not open, or to provide treatment to
9 students if it ordinarily does not provide such services, or to have
10 available a health care professional authorized to write prescriptions
11 if it ordinarily does not have such a health care professional avail-
12 able.
13 4. In implementing the provisions of this section each college and
14 university shall consult with representatives of health care practition-
15 ers, students and affected employees.
16 § 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
17 it shall have become a law; provided that any rules, regulations and
18 informational materials necessary to implement the provisions of this
19 act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be promulgated
20 on or before such date.
