The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2352

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 22, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced   by  M.  of  A.  GLICK,  JAFFEE,  DINOWITZ,  PEOPLES-STOKES,
  L. ROSENTHAL, TITUS, SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of  A.  GALEF,
  GOTTFRIED, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health

AN  ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring disclo-
  sure by crisis pregnancy centers

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  The  public health law is amended by adding a new section
2509 to read as follows:
  § 2509. CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER; DISCLOSURE. 1. ANY  CRISIS  PREGNANCY
CENTER  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO DISCLOSE TO A CLIENT THAT WHEN INQUIRING
ABOUT PREGNANCY TERMINATION, ABORTION OR BIRTH CONTROL, SUCH CENTER WILL
NOT PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES OR MAKE A REFERRAL FOR SUCH SERVICES.
  2. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION "CRISIS  PREGNANCY  CENTER"  MEANS  AN
ORGANIZATION  WHOSE  PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE PREGNANCY COUNSELING,
ASSISTANCE AND/OR INFORMATION, WHETHER FOR A FEE OR AS A  FREE  SERVICE,
BUT DOES NOT PERFORM ABORTIONS OR REFER FOR ABORTIONS. "CRISIS PREGNANCY
CENTER"  DOES  NOT  INCLUDE  LICENSED  HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, HOSPITALS,
FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS  THAT  PROVIDE  OR  REFER  FOR  ABORTION  AND/OR
CONTRACEPTION,  OR  FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL TITLE X
FUNDS.
  3. THE DISCLOSURE REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
CONDUCTED UPON FIRST COMMUNICATION OR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE  CLIENT  OR
POTENTIAL  CLIENT  AND  SHALL  BE  EITHER IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT OR ORAL
COMMUNICATION BY STAFF ASSISTING THE POTENTIAL CLIENT.  SUCH  DISCLOSURE
SHALL FURTHER BE REASONABLY UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE CLIENT.
  4.  ANY  PERSON  WHO  BELIEVES  THAT  A  VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION HAS
OCCURRED MAY FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF
RECEIVING SUCH COMPLAINT, THE DEPARTMENT MUST INVESTIGATE THE  COMPLAINT
AND DETERMINE WHETHER A VIOLATION HAS OCCURRED.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05676-01-9

A. 2352                             2

  5.  ANY  CRISIS  PREGNANCY  CENTER  VIOLATING  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL FINE OF NOT MORE  THAN  ONE  HUNDRED
DOLLARS  ON  THE  FIRST  VIOLATION  AND  NOT MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY
DOLLARS ON THE SECOND AND ALL SUBSEQUENT VIOLATIONS.
  § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.