What's happening
This bill provides funding for abortion services and related travel expenses for New York residents who are active duty military members or their families when those services are unavailable elsewhere.
Why it matters
Directly addresses a gap in access to abortion services for New York military families. Active duty members and their dependents stationed in states or countries with abortion restrictions often face significant hurdles; this bill provides a state-funded solution for those unable to use military or private insurance.
Targets both surgical and pharmaceutical abortions. By specifying both types, the bill ensures comprehensive coverage for different medical needs, making support more inclusive and responsive to individual circumstances.
Covers travel-related expenses, not just medical costs. Recognizing that logistics can be a major barrier, the bill includes funding for travel, which can be substantial for those stationed far from New York or in remote locations.
Requires care to be provided by New York-licensed practitioners. This protects the quality and legality of care, even if the patient is outside the state, and may help shield providers and patients from legal risks posed by restrictive jurisdictions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Military Abortion Access
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to health
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 1571a
- 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 Travel
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Phil Steck
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1571--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2025
Introduced by Sen. KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed 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.
LBD00701-03-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to funding for abortion services and travel-related expenses for New York state resi- dents that are active duty members of the armed forces of the United States, or the spouse or dependent of such member
Purpose
If enacted, this legislation would ensure that New York State active- duty military members either serving in this state or serving in a coun- try or state which has restricted abortion services would have the access to abortion services
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2599-bb-1 of the public health law 2 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 RESI- DENT 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.ct.
§ 2. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTIETH DAY AFTER IT SHALL HAVE BECOME A LAW. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE ADDITION, AMEND- MENT AND/OR REPEAL OF ANY RULE OR REGULATION NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMEN- TATION OF THIS ACT ON ITS EFFECTIVE DATE ARE AUTHORIZED TO BE MADE AND COMPLETED ON OR BEFORE SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE.ct.
Justification
The current house of representatives of the United States has utilized their funding of our armed services to implement a radical social agenda to prevent active-duty members of the military who are residents of the State of New York from receiving abortion services when these services are legal in their home state.
This ensures any active-duty individual in the armed services and their dependents, whether deployed within the United States or abroad, may receive these same abortion services they would normally be able receive in the State of New York.
Legislative history
2023-24: S.7612/A.7883 (Steck) - Died in Health
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
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 repeat 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.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.