Establishes the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program

• Democratic12

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Nathalia Fernandez says this is needed

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 antic- ipated 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.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.