PPANY Legislative Priorities 2011

Healthy Teens Act: Establishes an age-appropriate, medically accurate, comprehensive sex education grant program through the Department of Health.

Young people have a right to information that can protect their health and save their lives. Unfortunately, New York State has no dedicated funding stream for comprehensive sex education in schools, and not all schools and teachers are able to provide this lifesaving information due to the lack of resources. This is particularly concerning considering 60% of New York State adolescents engage in sexual activity before they graduate from high school and rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be distressingly high. Sex and HIV education programs that discuss not only abstinence, but include relationship skills, self-esteem building and information about condoms and other methods of contraception have been proven to: delay the onset of intercourse; reduce the frequency of intercourse; decrease the number of sexual partners of program participants; and increase condom use or contraceptive use. The Healthy Teens Act (HTA) would establish a competitive grant program open to local school districts, school-based health centers, BOCES and community-based organizations for the implementation of comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education. FPA supports efforts like the HTA to provide NY’s youth with the information they need to keep themselves safe and healthy.  

Assembly: A 808
Sponsor: Richard Gottfried

Medicaid Reimbursement for Interpretation Services

This legislation would allow health care providers to receive reimbursement for the provision of interpretation services to Medicaid patients who have limited English proficiency. More than twenty percent of New York’s population is foreign born and many immigrants do not have the language skills necessary to describe their symptoms and concerns or to understand health care instructions. With over 4 million foreign-born people who speak over 150 languages, health care providers across the state are facing major challenges in developing adequate language services to communicate effectively with their patients. Reimbursement for translation services will allow providers to better meet the needs of New York’s diverse population. Access to translation services improves the quality of care and can help New York reduce health care disparities through improved health outcomes.

Assembly: A 661
Sponsor: Richard Gottfried

Prescription Labeling and Language Services at Retail Pharmacies for Limited English Proficient Patients

This bill would authorize the State Board of Pharmacy to create standardized prescription label instructions, require chain pharmacies to provide translation and interpretation services for limited English proficient (LEP) patients, and facilitate communication between physicians and pharmacies regarding a patient’s spoken language. Critical to achieving cultural competence in health care delivery is ensuring that every patient understands his or her prescription medication regimes.  Requiring pharmacies to provide translation services for LEP patients will allow the 2.4 million LEP New Yorkers to fully understand their medication information. Without standardized prescription labels or consistent access to translation and interpretation services, millions of LEP individuals are deprived of effective health care.

Assembly: A 7341                              Senate: S 5000
Sponsor: Richard Gottfried                 Sponsor: Kemp Hannon

Prohibiting Condom Possession As Evidence of Prostitution: Would prohibit the introduction of the possession of condoms as evidence of prostitution and prostitution-related offenses.

The possession of condoms should be used as evidence of social responsibility, not potential criminal activity. New York has one of the highest rates of new HIV/AIDS infection in the country.  Condoms are one of the most effective ways for those who are sexually active to protect against the contraction of sexually transmitted infections and diseases such as: chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, syphilis, and HIV/AIDS. Allowing prosecutors to use condom possession as evidence of criminal behavior undermines the state’s vested interest in promoting reduction in rates of infection through safer sexual practices. Family Planning Advocates strongly supports this legislation and efforts to promote safe sexual practices through education and resources.

Assembly: A 1008                                Senate: S 323
Sponsor: Barbara Clark                       Sponsor: Velmanette Montgomery

Reproductive Health Act: Updates New York’s abortion laws and establishes a fundamental, statutory right to privacy in making personal reproductive decisions.

The Reproductive Health Act guarantees a woman’s right to make personal, private decisions about her reproductive health care. This legislation will protect the right to choose or refuse abortion and to choose or refuse contraception. In the face of increasing attacks on reproductive rights, New York’s laws need to be strengthened to protect women’s health and safety. Family Planning Advocates strongly supports this legislation designed to protect the fundamental right of individuals to make personal, private reproductive health care decisions.

Assembly: 6112                     Senate: 2844/ 2524
Sponsor: Glick                       Sponsor: Stewart-Cousins/ Klein

Treatment of STDs for Adolescents

Currently, New York law has a provision that allows teens to consent to treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but the law contains no provision that allows teens to consent to care to prevent an STDs. A CDC study released in 2008 estimates that one in four young women between the ages of 14 and 19 in the United States is infected with at least one of the most common STD, including the human papillomavirus (HPV). These distressing health statistics demonstrate a need to increase access to the vaccine that will prevent young women from becoming infected with HPV. With the availability of the FDA-approved HPV vaccine, which has been shown to protect against the virus most commonly responsible for cervical cancer, this gap in law must be corrected to increase access to a potentially life-saving vaccine.  

Assembly: A 343                                 Senate: S 384
Sponsor: Amy Paulin                          Sponsor: Liz Krueger

Unintended Pregnancy Act: Increases the availability of emergency contraception to women by enabling pharmacists and nurses to dispense the medication through collaborative agreements with physicians.

Despite overwhelming medical evidence that Plan B over the counter (OTC) is safe for all women, the FDA has put politics ahead of science and restricted purchase of Plan B OTC to people 17 and older who provide proof of age. The age restriction continues to place undue burdens on women. EC is a time sensitive drug that can be taken up to 120 hours after unprotected sex, but it is proven to be most effective if administered within the first 24 hours.  This bill is necessary because it allows women to bypass the frequent delays encountered when trying to make medical appointments to get a prescription from a health care provider.

Assembly: A 85                                Senate: S 892
Sponsor: Amy Paulin                       Sponsor: Liz Krueger