What's happening
This bill allows New York to fund abortion services and travel expenses for active duty military members, their spouses, or dependents when such services aren't otherwise covered.
Why it matters
Addresses a gap in coverage for military families. By enabling state funding when federal insurance or military health benefits do not cover abortion services, the bill ensures that active duty service members and their families do not face barriers due to conflicting state or federal policies, especially when stationed in restrictive states or overseas.
Provides for comprehensive support, including travel. The inclusion of travel-related expenses recognizes that access issues often go beyond the procedure itself, helping ensure that military families can actually reach New York or another location where legal abortion services are available.
Applies strict provider requirements. The bill requires that funded services be performed by licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized health care practitioners under New York law, ensuring medical and legal standards are upheld even when circumstances require travel or out-of-state coordination.
Signals New York’s commitment to reproductive rights for vulnerable groups. By explicitly protecting and supporting the reproductive health needs of military families, New York positions itself as a safe haven and sets a precedent that may influence other states’ approaches to similar gaps left by federal policy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Military Abortion Travel
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Print number 928a
- Amend (t) and recommit to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Fund Military Abortion Access
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Liz Krueger
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
928--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to funding for abortion services and travel-related expenses for New York state residents that are active duty members of the armed forces of the United States, or the spouse or dependent of such member
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2599-bb-1 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
(c) Funding abortion services, including surgical and pharmaceutical abortions, and any necessary travel-related expenses incurred by a resident of the state who is an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, or who is a spouse or dependent of such member, when such person is located within another state or a foreign country and where such services could not legally be obtained, which are not covered by any other insurance or the armed forces of the United States, and when such services are provided by a health care practitioner licensed, certified, or authorized under title eight of the education law, acting within the health care practitioner's lawful scope of practice.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00701-02-5
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.