S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1438--A
     Cal. No. 102
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KRUEGER,  BRISPORT,  BROUK,  FERNANDEZ, GONZALEZ,
   HARCKHAM, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, LIU, MAYER,  SALAZAR,  WEBB
   -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
   the  Committee on Health -- reported favorably from said committee and
   committed to the Committee on Rules -- reported  favorably  from  said
   committee,  ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered
   to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third  read-
   ing,  amended  and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order
   of third reading
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to enacting  the  New
   York state abortion clinical training program act
 
   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  article
 25-AA to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 25-AA
           NEW YORK STATE ABORTION CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM ACT
 SECTION 2599-BB-10. POLICY AND PURPOSE.
         2599-BB-11. DEFINITIONS.
         2599-BB-12. ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE NEW YORK STATE ABORTION CLIN-
                       ICAL TRAINING PROGRAM.
         2599-BB-13. REPORTING.
   § 2599-BB-10. POLICY AND PURPOSE. 1.  NEW  YORK  HAS  LONG  HELD  THAT
 COMPREHENSIVE  REPRODUCTIVE  HEALTH  CARE  IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF
 EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S HEALTH, PRIVACY AND  EQUALITY,  AND  THAT  ACCESS  TO
 REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES IS INTEGRAL TO THEIR ABILITY TO CHOOSE
 TO  CARRY  A  PREGNANCY TO TERM, TO GIVE BIRTH TO A CHILD, OR TO HAVE AN
 ABORTION.
   2. ABORTION CARE  IS  PROVIDED  IN  HOSPITALS,  CLINICS,  AND  PRIVATE
 MEDICAL  PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE, WITH A MAJORITY OF THIS CARE DELIV-
 ERED BY COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS. HOWEVER, GROWING MATERNAL HEALTH CARE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              
             
                          
                                                                            LBD04174-05-5
 S. 1438--A                          2
 
 DESERTS HAVE MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS THIS VITAL FORM
 OF CARE. THE NEED FOR ABORTION CARE  CONTINUES  TO  INCREASE  WHILE  THE
 NUMBER  OF  PROVIDERS  TRAINED  TO  PERFORM THESE SERVICES IS DECLINING.
 ALTHOUGH  THERE  ARE COMMUNITY-BASED ABORTION FACILITIES IN EVERY REGION
 OF THE STATE, ONLY SEVEN OUT OF TEN REGIONS HAVE COMMUNITY-BASED FACILI-
 TIES THAT PERFORM ABORTION CARE BEYOND FIFTEEN WEEKS  OF  PREGNANCY.  IN
 THREE  REGIONS,  ONLY  TWO FACILITIES PROVIDE ABORTION CARE UP TO TWENTY
 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. THIS HAS RESULTED IN PREGNANT PEOPLE HAVING TO TRAV-
 EL FURTHER, AND IN SOME CASES OUT OF STATE, TO ACCESS  CARE,  ESPECIALLY
 LATER IN PREGNANCY.
   3.  WHILE  ANY  PHYSICIAN AND HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER LICENSED BY THE
 STATE WITH ABORTION IN THEIR SCOPE OF PRACTICE IS AUTHORIZED TO  PROVIDE
 THIS  CARE  UNDER LAW, THERE IS NO STRUCTURED TRAINING PROGRAM AVAILABLE
 TO THEM FOR THIS PURPOSE.
   4. NEW YORK IS IN A STRONG POSITION TO ADDRESS THE TRAINING  NEEDS  OF
 THESE INDIVIDUALS BY ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE ABORTION CLINICAL TRAINING
 PROGRAM.  THERE  ARE  MULTIPLE  ABORTION  PROVIDERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCED,
 UTILIZE INNOVATIVE ABORTION CARE PROCEDURES, AND INTERESTED IN  TRAINING
 THEIR PEERS BUT REQUIRE FUNDING TO DO SO.
   5.  IT  IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE TO CREATE NEW TRAINING OPPORTU-
 NITIES FOR NEW  YORK  HEALTH  CARE  PRACTITIONERS  IN  THE  DELIVERY  OF
 ABORTION  CARE THROUGH SUCH A PROGRAM, THEREBY PROTECTING EVERY INDIVID-
 UAL'S RIGHT TO HEALTH, PRIVACY AND EQUALITY.
   § 2599-BB-11. DEFINITIONS. AS USED  IN  THIS  ARTICLE,  THE  FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1.  "ABORTION"  SHALL  MEAN THE TERMINATION OF A PREGNANCY PURSUANT TO
 SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE-BB OF THIS CHAPTER.
   2. "HEALTH CARE SERVICES" SHALL MEAN THE RANGE OF CARE RELATED TO  THE
 PROVISION  OF  ABORTION  PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-
 NINE-BB OF THIS CHAPTER.
   3. "HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER" SHALL MEAN ANY HEALTH CARE  PRACTITIONER
 AUTHORIZED  TO  PROVIDE HEALTH CARE SERVICES PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-
 FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE-BB OF THIS CHAPTER OR AN INTERN OR RESIDENT WHO
 IS EMPLOYED BY A HOSPITAL OR OTHERWISE ENROLLED IN AN ACCREDITED  GRADU-
 ATE MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
   4.  "PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS" SHALL MEAN ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING REPRO-
 DUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR QUALIFIED PROVID-
 ERS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS  OR  CLINICAL  EDUCATION  PROGRAMS
 THAT MEET PROFESSIONALLY RECOGNIZED TRAINING STANDARDS.
   § 2599-BB-12. ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  NEW YORK STATE ABORTION CLINICAL
 TRAINING PROGRAM. 1. (A) THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE  DEPART-
 MENT  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  ABORTION  CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE
 PURPOSE OF TRAINING HEALTH CARE  PRACTITIONERS  IN  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF
 ABORTION AND RELATED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES. THE COMMISSIONER
 IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  STATE  EDUCATION  DEPARTMENT, SHALL ADOPT A
 COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM AND COMPETENCY BASED-STANDARDS FOR THE TRAINING
 OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS IN THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  A  FULL  RANGE  OF
 ABORTION  AND RELATED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES. SUCH CURRICULUM
 AND STANDARDS SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH EVIDENCE-BASED  TRAINING  METHODS
 AND SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (I) COUNSELING AND INFORMED CONSENT;
   (II) MISCARRIAGE MANAGEMENT;
   (III) PATIENT-CENTERED CARE;
   (IV) PRE-ABORTION EVALUATION;
   (V) CONTRACEPTION AND AFTERCARE;
   (VI) TELEHEALTH DELIVERY;
 S. 1438--A                          3
 
   (VII) PROCEDURAL ABORTION;
   (VIII) MEDICATION ABORTION; AND
   (IX) POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS AND REQUIRED CARE.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL UPDATE THE ADOPTED CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS
 AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS.
   (C)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSULT A RANGE OF EXPERTS, INCLUDING, BUT
 NOT LIMITED  TO,  INDIVIDUALS  AND  ENTITIES  PROVIDING  ABORTION  CARE,
 ABORTION  FUNDS,  AND  OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS  WHOSE  MISSION IS TO EXPAND
 ACCESS TO ABORTION CARE, TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM  STRUCTURE  REFLECTS  THE
 NEEDS  OF ABORTION PROVIDERS, ABORTION FUNDS AND CONSUMERS IN DEVELOPING
 THE INITIAL CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS AND ALL SUBSEQUENT UPDATES.
   (D) FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS CURRENTLY OPERATING AN  ABORTION  CLIN-
 ICAL TRAINING PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE AND SELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO
 FACILITATE  TRAINING THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL APPROVE
 THE EXISTING CURRICULUM FOR USE IN THE NEW YORK STATE ABORTION  CLINICAL
 TRAINING PROGRAM SO LONG AS THE CURRICULUM MEETS ADOPTED STATEWIDE STAN-
 DARDS.
   3.  (A)  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH
 PROFESSIONAL  EDUCATORS  TO  FACILITATE  CLINICAL  TRAINING  RELATED  TO
 ABORTION  CARE AND OTHER RELATED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES AT A MINI-
 MUM OF FOUR SITES ACROSS THE STATE. IN  ENTERING  SUCH  AGREEMENTS,  THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSIDER ORGANIZATIONS THAT:
   (I) COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS;
   (II)  ARE  CAPABLE OF PROVIDING CULTURALLY CONGRUENT CARE AND IMPLICIT
 BIAS TRAINING;
   (III) HAVE  DEMONSTRATED  EXPERIENCE  IN  COORDINATING  ABORTION  CARE
 TRAINING PROGRAMS; AND
   (IV) HAVE SUFFICIENT PATIENT VOLUME TO ACCOMMODATE TRAINING NEED.
   (B)  PROFESSIONAL  EDUCATORS SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TRAINING
 IN ALL AREAS OF THE  APPROVED  CURRICULUM,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  SPECIAL
 CONSIDERATION  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  TO  PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS WHO HAVE THE
 CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE THE FULL RANGE OF ABORTION CARE AND RELATED REPRO-
 DUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER MAY ENGAGE THE SERVICES  OF  A  CONSULTANT  ON  A
 CONTRACT  BASIS  TO  SUPPORT  THE  ADMINISTRATION  AND  OPERATION OF THE
 PROGRAM. SUCH CONSULTANT SHALL BE A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR THAT  HAS  THE
 DEMONSTRATED  ABILITY  TO  PROVIDE PROGRAMMATIC OVERSIGHT ON A STATEWIDE
 LEVEL INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO CANDIDATE SELECTION  AND  SCREENING,
 AND ADHERENCE TO THE APPROVED CURRICULUM AND CLINICAL STANDARDS.
   (D)  EACH  PROFESSIONAL  EDUCATOR  RECEIVING  FUNDING PURSUANT TO THIS
 PARAGRAPH SHALL SUBMIT A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION IN SUCH FORM AND AT  SUCH
 TIME  AS  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE, ATTESTING HOW ANY AWARD MADE
 WAS USED TO SUPPORT TRAINING HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS IN  THE  PERFORM-
 ANCE  OF  ABORTION AND RELATED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES INCLUD-
 ING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE NUMBER OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS SELECTED
 FOR TRAINING; THE NUMBER OF HEALTH  CARE  PRACTITIONERS  COMPLETING  THE
 TRAINING;  AND  THE AREAS OF THE STATE SERVED BY THE HEALTH CARE PRACTI-
 TIONERS SELECTED.
   (E) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY,
 THE COMMISSIONER SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO RECOUP ANY AWARD MADE AND DETER-
 MINED TO HAVE BEEN USED IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH  THE  PURPOSES  OF
 THE  ABORTION  CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED
 TO EMPLOY ANY LEGAL MECHANISM TO RECOUP SUCH FUNDS, INCLUDING AN  OFFSET
 OF OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE OWED TO SUCH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR.
 S. 1438--A                          4
 
   4.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRIORITIZE ELIGIBLE HEALTH CARE PRACTITION-
 ERS  WHO  WILL  PROVIDE  ABORTION  AND  RELATED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE
 SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE TO RECEIVE TRAINING.
   5. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL AWARD AND DISTRIBUTE GRANTS TO ADDRESS PRAC-
 TICAL  SUPPORT  NEEDS  OF  ELIGIBLE  HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. FUNDS MAY BE
 AWARDED TO SUPPORT AN ELIGIBLE HEALTH  CARE  PRACTITIONER  IN  OBTAINING
 CLINICAL  EDUCATION  ON  ABORTION  CARE  AND  OTHER  REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
 SERVICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FINANCIAL  SUPPORT  FOR  TRAVEL
 AND LODGING ASSOCIATED WITH ATTENDING THE PROGRAM.
   6.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  PROMULGATE  RULES AND REGULATIONS AS ARE
 NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   7. NOTHING IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE CONSTRUED  TO  LIMIT  OR  RESTRICT
 ABORTION  TRAINING  THAT OCCURS WITHIN NEW YORK STATE SEPARATE AND APART
 FROM THE NEW YORK STATE ABORTION CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM.
   § 2599-BB-13. REPORTING. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  SUBMIT  A  REPORT  NO
 LATER  THAN  TWELVE  MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND
 ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, TO THE GOVERNOR, THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE
 SENATE  AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANTS ISSUED, THE  NUMBER  OF  ELIGIBLE
 PARTICIPANTS,  THE  NUMBER  OF ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS, AND THE REGION OF THE
 STATE WHERE THE ELIGIBLE  PROVIDERS  ARE  LOCATED.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY
 OTHER  PROVISION OF LAW, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT REPORT ANY IDENTIFY-
 ING INFORMATION OF ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next  succeeding
 the  date  upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation  neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  this  act  on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
               
              
                
              
                       
              
Seeking an update on the fate of this bill, especially after hearing that funding for the proposed law fell to $4 Million vs the original $10M requested ...and the Assembly version seems stuck.