A lawmaker has brought up a new bill in the New York State Assembly that requires the State University of New York system to offer abortion medication to its students.
Introduced by Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, D-New York City, the bill calls on public college student health centers to provide access to abortion by medication techniques onsite.
The chancellor of the SUNY will be required to submit a report to the commissioner, the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the senate detailing the steps taken in this direction.
“College students’ often busy schedules, lack of transportation options, and low-incomes present barriers to accessing abortion healthcare,” Epstein wrote.
“Students who want to end an unintended pregnancy have to travel to off-campus providers, potentially missing classes and disrupting their studies.”
The bill would amend the state finance law by adding a new section 99-hh that will create public college student health center abortion by medication fund. It will be used by the commissioner of health for making payment of any and all costs and expenditures incurred in performing any of the work required in making abortion by medication techniques available at public college student health centers within the state.
In September, a similar bill was passed by the California State Legislature requiring its 34 public universities to offer abortion pills to students at on-campus health centers, free of cost.
Earlier, the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Connecticut also passed anti-abortion bills, receiving serve backlash from individuals and various groups.
Non-Profit Initiative to Educate Pregnant Students About Their Rights