Senate Bill S8498

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires menstrual products to be provided in drop-in centers, intake shelters and emergency congregate housing

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Sep 05, 2025	referred to rules

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5420
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §152-c, Soc Serv L

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires menstrual products to be provided in drop-in centers, intake shelters and emergency congregate housing.

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8498

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to providing
menstrual products at drop-in centers, intake shelters, and emergency
congregate housing

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill seeks to amend the social services law to require that
menstrual products, including sanitary napkins, tampons, and panty
liners, be provided at no cost in drop-in centers, intake shelters,
state-administered grants.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends Section 152-c of the Social Services Law to include a
requirement for state-funded temporary shelters, such as family shel-
ters, adult shelters, hotels, emergency apartments, domestic violence
shelters, runaway and homeless youth shelters, drop-in centers, intake

shelters, emergency congregate housing, and safe houses for refugees, to
provide free menstrual products to individuals in need.

Section 2: Sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Access to menstrual products is essential for individuals' health and
well-being, particularly for those experiencing homelessness or housing
insecurity. Many individuals living in shelters or temporary housing
face financial hardships that make it difficult to afford basic hygiene
products. By providing free menstrual products at drop-in centers,
intake shelters, and emergency congregate housing, this bill will
address a critical gap in support for individuals, especially women and
menstruating persons who are disproportionately affected by homelessness
and poverty.

The need for menstrual products is not optional; it is a basic health
necessity. According to research, 1 in 4 menstruating individuals in the
U.S. struggle to afford menstrual products, a phenomenon often referred
to as "period poverty." This issue is exacerbated in shelters where
menstruating individuals often have limited access to such essentials.
Providing these products at no cost will help restore dignity, ensure
better health outcomes, and reduce the barriers to accessing shelter
services.

New York has already taken significant steps to combat period poverty,
including mandating free menstrual products in schools and correctional
facilities. This bill builds on those efforts by extending similar
protections to some of the state's most vulnerable populations-those
experiencing homelessness or displacement. By offering this support in
state-funded temporary housing facilities, New York will continue to
lead in addressing the needs of its residents.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

TBD

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8498
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             September 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the  social  services  law,  in  relation  to  providing
   menstrual  products at drop-in centers, intake shelters, and emergency
   congregate housing

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  152-c  of the social services law, as amended by
 chapter 72 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   § 152-c. Menstrual products. 1. Any provider of temporary shelter that
 is reimbursed from state or state-administered grants or funds shall  be
 required  to  provide an adequate number of menstrual products commensu-
 rate with an individual's needs, including, but not limited to, sanitary
 napkins, tampons and panty liners, at no cost to  individuals  requiring
 such  products.  For purposes of this section, "temporary shelter" shall
 include but not be limited to a family shelter, a shelter for adults,  a
 hotel,  an  emergency  apartment, a domestic violence shelter, a runaway
 and homeless youth shelter, A DROP-IN CENTER, AN INTAKE  SHELTER,  EMER-
 GENCY CONGREGATE HOUSING, or a safe house for refugees.
   2.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A. "DROP-IN CENTER" SHALL MEAN FACILITIES OPERATED BY  THE  DEPARTMENT
 OR  A  PROVIDER  UNDER CONTRACT OR SIMILAR AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT
 THAT PROVIDE SINGLE ADULTS WITH HOT MEALS, SHOWERS, LAUNDRY  FACILITIES,
 CLOTHING,  MEDICAL CARE, RECREATIONAL SPACE, EMPLOYMENT REFERRALS AND/OR
 HOUSING PLACEMENT SERVICES, BUT NOT OVERNIGHT HOUSING.
   B. "INTAKE CENTER" SHALL MEAN FACILITIES WHERE INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES
 MUST APPLY FOR SHELTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
   C. "EMERGENCY CONGREGATE HOUSING" SHALL MEAN ANY LOCATION OPERATED  BY
 A  STATE  AGENCY, CITY AGENCY, OR LOCAL MUNICIPALITY OR A PROVIDER UNDER
 CONTRACT OR SIMILAR AGREEMENT WITH A STATE AGENCY, CITY AGENCY, OR LOCAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07363-01-5

 S. 8498                             2
 
 MUNICIPALITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RESIDE FOR MORE  THAN  NINE-
 TY-SIX CONTINUOUS HOURS AND WHERE SUCH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SLEEP IN
 A  CONGREGATE  SETTING WITH SHARED FACILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO  SLEEPING   QUARTERS AND BATHROOMS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT EMERGENCY
 CONGREGATE HOUSING SHALL NOT INCLUDE  ANY  LOCATION  OPERATED  BY    THE
 DEPARTMENT  OR  A  PROVIDER UNDER CONTRACT OR SIMILAR AGREEMENT WITH THE
 DEPARTMENT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S8498

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Cordell Cleare

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8498 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments