What's happening
This bill directs the Consumer Protection Division to study and report on the practices and funding of limited service pregnancy centers in New York.
Why it matters
The bill calls for a detailed investigation into how limited service pregnancy centers operate, including what services they provide and whether they present themselves as offering comprehensive pregnancy counseling. This matters because it could highlight discrepancies between what these centers advertise and what they actually do, affecting the information and care people receive.
The study will collect data on state and federal funding received by these centers, as well as their affiliations with larger national organizations. Knowing where funding comes from and how widespread these networks are could influence future regulatory or funding decisions.
A key focus is on transparency and accuracy: the bill mandates examination of whether these centers provide medically accurate information, disclose religious affiliations, and inform clients about the presence (or absence) of medical professionals. This is central to ensuring that people seeking care are not misled about their options or the credentials of those providing advice.
The report will assess how these centers handle sensitive client data and medical privacy, as well as their compliance with relevant laws. This is significant because improper handling of personal health information can put clients at risk and may expose centers to legal liabilities.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Study Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4372
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to direct the consumer protection division to conduct a study on limited service pregnancy center entities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 1. The consumer protection division shall conduct a study on "limited service pregnancy center" entities whose primary purpose is to provide pregnancy-related services and who advertise or solicit patronage based on offers to provide pregnancy tests, prenatal sonography, and counseling about pregnancy options. Such limited service pregnancy centers shall not include entities that provide or refer for abortions, prenatal care or emergency contraception.
2. Such study shall require the division to collect data from such entities and other relevant sources which shall include but shall not be limited to:
(a) What state funds, if any, are directly or indirectly allocated to limited service pregnancy centers in the state and the names and locations of such organizations receiving state funding.
(b) What federal funds, if any, are directly or indirectly allocated to limited service pregnancy centers in the state and the names and locations of such organizations receiving federal funding.
(c) Whether the limited service pregnancy centers in the state are part of larger umbrella organizations that operate limited service pregnancy centers across the country.
(d) The number of women who access services at limited service pregnancy centers and the geographic regions in which each woman accessing the services of limited service pregnancy center resides.
(e) What services are provided by limited service pregnancy centers.
(f) Whether limited service pregnancy centers hold themselves out to the public, either in person, through community participation or events
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05698-01-9
A. 4372 2
or through their advertising, websites or social media, as entities in which comprehensive, all-options pregnancy counseling is provided.
(g) Whether misleading or medically or factually inaccurate information is given to people seeking services at limited service pregnancy centers, including but not limited to misinformation about: the alleged links between abortions and breast cancer, the effects of abortion on future fertility and the effects of abortion on mental health.
(h) If relevant, whether limited service pregnancy centers disclose their religious affiliation.
(i) Whether any limited service pregnancy center informs people seeking services whether or not it has any medical professionals on the premises or on its staff.
(j) The number of state-certified medical professionals on staff or providing regular volunteer medical services at limited service pregnancy centers.
(k) Whether any limited service pregnancy center informs its people seeking services that it does not provide or refer for comprehensive reproductive health care services, such as abortions, contraception or prenatal care.
(l) Whether any limited service pregnancy centers are providing ultrasound examinations, the medical licensure of the person performing and interpreting the examinations if any, and how they disclose the results of the examinations to clients.
(m) Whether limited service pregnancy centers collect information that would be considered confidential in a licensed medical facility formation, how they handle medical records, and whether the medical records are in compliance with federal and state requirements governing medical privacy.
3. The consumer protection division shall make a report to the governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and recommendations no later than one year after the effective date of this act and shall submit with this report such legislative proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.