NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7108

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Women's Issues 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

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 01, 2025	referred to women's issues

co-Sponsors

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A738
Current Committee:: Senate Women's Issues
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Add §207-b, amd §2308-a, Pub Health L; amd §§140 & 505, add §140-a, Cor L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: A8764
2019-2020: S3126, A118
2021-2022: S401, A211
2023-2024: S4264, A227

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to women's health in correctional facilities; establishes a women's health education program; requires HIV and STD testing to be offered to incarcerated individuals; provides pregnant incarcerated individuals with access to prenatal vitamins as well as a specialized diet tailored to pregnancy needs

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7108

SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
women's health education program for correctional facilities and rights
of pregnant incarcerated individuals; to amend the public health law, in
relation to requiring certain testing to be offered; to amend the
correction law, in relation to providing pregnant incarcerated individ-
uals with access to prenatal vitamins and a specialized diet; and to
require the department of health to collect data on women's health care
in prisons and publish a report

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would establish a Women's Health Education program in state
correctional facilities as well as take necessary steps to protect the
health of incarcerated women and ensure proper prenatal care of pregnant
incarcerated individuals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends public health law by adding a new section 207-b to
establish a women's health education program.

Section 2 amends subdivision 1 of section 2308-a of the public health
law to clarify that the term "facility" includes correctional facili-
ties.

Section 3 amends subdivision 2 of section 140 of the correction law to
include gynecological services in the routine diagnosis and treatment of
incarcerated women.

Section 4 amends subdivision 2 of section 505 of the correction law to
include gynecological services in the routine diagnosis and treatment of
incarcerated women.

Section 5 amends the correction law by adding a new section 140-a to
include prenatal care.

Section 6 requires the commissioner of corrections and community super-
vision to promulgate rules and regulations relating to section 5 of this
act in conjunction with the commissioner of health.

Section 7 requires the department of health, in cooperation with the
department of corrections and community supervision, to conduct a study
of women's health in prisons.

Section 8 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State correctional facilities do not provide comprehensive
healthcare to incarcerated women. Placement in a correctional facility
should not mean that the incarcerated individual surrenders her right to
proper and compassionate healthcare services.


This bill would require the commissioner of corrections and community
supervision to partner with the commissioner of health to establish a
Women's Health Education Program. This program would ensure that prison
medical staff are trained on the specific health needs of women through-
out all stages of their lives, including knowledge of care related to
obstetrics and gynecology.' Among other things, medical staff will learn
how to provide respectful care to women who are victims of domestic
violence or sexual violence. A survey by the Correctional Association of
New York's "Women in Prison Project" of formerly incarcerated women
found that many respondents classified their healthcare experiences in
prison as traumatic or uncomfortable, especially if the respondents had
been the victim of past sexual or domestic violence.

Poor prison healthcare is especially detrimental to pregnant women and
their unborn children. This bill would require that pregnant inmates
receive counseling services, including information about their right to
pregnancy termination services and their option to apply to the Chil-
dren's Center Program at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.  Expectant
mothers would also be guaranteed prenatal care, and provided with prena-
tal vitamins, as well as a specialized diet tailored to the specific
nutritional needs of pregnant women.

Lastly, the bill would also mandate that incarcerated women have access
to annual gynecological care. Women will be screened for breast and
cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, bone
disease, and other medical issues during these annual visits, which can
quickly become dire if left untreated. By taking the aforementioned
steps, we can better protect the health and well-being of incarcerated
women and their children.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S401A; Reported and committed to Finance.

2019-20: S3126; Reported and committed to Finance.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:,

Costs are anticipated to be-approximately $970,000 to the state and
local governments. Of this cost, the delivery of prenatal and gynecolog-
ical care is estimated at $220,000 to state and local correctional
facilities. The Department of Health has estimated the costs of the
study at $750,000 that includes staffing, training development & admin-
istration as well as data collection.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7108
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  WEBB,  ASHBY,  SALAZAR  -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Women's
   Issues
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
   women's health  education  program  for  correctional  facilities  and
   rights  of  pregnant  incarcerated  individuals;  to  amend the public
   health law, in relation to requiring certain testing to be offered; to
   amend the correction law, in relation to providing pregnant  incarcer-
   ated  individuals  with  access to prenatal vitamins and a specialized
   diet; and to require the department  of  health  to  collect  data  on
   women's health care in prisons and publish a report
 
   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
 207-b to read as follows:
   §  207-B.  WOMEN'S HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM IN STATE AND LOCAL CORREC-
 TIONAL FACILITIES. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  COMMIS-
 SIONER  OF  CORRECTIONS  AND  COMMUNITY SUPERVISION AND THE CHAIR OF THE
 STATE COMMISSION OF CORRECTION, SHALL ESTABLISH A WOMEN'S HEALTH  EDUCA-
 TION  PROGRAM  IN  STATE AND LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. SUCH PROGRAM
 SHALL EDUCATE FACILITY MEDICAL STAFF ON THE  SPECIAL  MEDICAL  NEEDS  OF
 WOMEN,  INCLUDING  TRAINING  ON  PROVIDING  PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTFUL AND
 INFORMED CARE OF WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  OR
 SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
   §  2.  Subdivision  1  of  section 2308-a of the public health law, as
 amended by section 38 of part E of chapter 56 of the laws  of  2013,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. The administrative officer or other person in charge of a clinic or
 other  facility providing gynecological, obstetrical, genito-urological,
 contraceptive, sterilization or termination  of  pregnancy  services  or
 treatment shall require the staff of such clinic or facility to offer to
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02194-01-5

 S. 7108                             2
 
 administer  to  every  resident  of the state of New York coming to such
 clinic or facility for such services or treatment, appropriate  examina-
 tions  or  tests for the detection of sexually transmitted diseases. FOR
 THE  PURPOSE  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "FACILITY" SHALL INCLUDE A
 CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION  TWO  OF
 THE CORRECTION LAW.
   §  3.  Subdivision 2 of section 140 of the correction law, as added by
 chapter 516 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
   2. Subject to the regulations of the  department  of  health,  routine
 medical,  dental and mental health services and treatment is defined for
 the purposes of this section to mean any routine diagnosis or treatment,
 including without limitation THE PROVISION OF GYNECOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR
 FEMALE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, the administration  of  medications  or
 nutrition, the extraction of bodily fluids for analysis, and dental care
 performed with a local anesthetic. Routine mental health treatment shall
 not  include  psychiatric administration of medication unless it is part
 of an ongoing mental health plan or unless it is otherwise authorized by
 law.
   § 4. Subdivision 2 of section 505 of the correction law, as  added  by
 chapter 437 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  Subject  to  the  regulations of the department of health, routine
 medical, dental and mental health services and treatment is defined  for
 the purposes of this section to mean any routine diagnosis or treatment,
 including without limitation THE PROVISION OF GYNECOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR
 FEMALE  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS,  the administration of medications or
 nutrition, the extraction of bodily fluids for analysis, and dental care
 performed with a local anesthetic. Routine mental health treatment shall
 not include psychiatric administration of medication unless it  is  part
 of an ongoing mental health plan or unless it is otherwise authorized by
 law.
   §  5.  The  correction law is amended by adding a new section 140-a to
 read as follows:
   § 140-A. PRENATAL CARE.  IF A PREGNANT PERSON IS CONFINED TO  A  STATE
 OR LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, SUCH PERSON SHALL BE GIVEN PRENATAL CARE
 COMPARABLE  TO SUCH CARE AVAILABLE TO PREGNANT PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
 SUCH CARE SHALL INCLUDE REGULAR CHECK-UPS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF  SUCH
 PERSON'S PREGNANCY AND EDUCATION ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES OF BENEFIT
 TO  SUCH  PERSON  AND SUCH PERSON'S CHILD.  PREGNANT PERSONS CONFINED TO
 SUCH FACILITIES SHALL ALSO BE GIVEN PRENATAL VITAMINS AND A  SPECIALIZED
 DIET TAILORED TO PROVIDE THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS DURING PREGNANCY.
   §  6.  The  commissioner  of corrections and community supervision, in
 conjunction with the commissioner of health shall promulgate such  rules
 and  regulations  as  may  be  necessary to effectuate the provisions of
 section five of this act.
   § 7. 1. The department of health, in cooperation with  the  department
 of  corrections  and  community  supervision,  shall  conduct a study of
 women's health care in prisons. Such study shall:
   a. collect all available data relating to women's health care in pris-
 ons;
   b. determine how often women in prisons are being seen  by  a  medical
 professional;
   c.  determine  how  long it takes for women in prisons to be seen by a
 medical professional;
   d. identify what issues women in prisons are  most  often  being  seen
 for;
 S. 7108                             3
 
   e.  determine the outcomes of women in prisons being seen by a medical
 professional; and
   f.  investigate anything deemed relevant by the commissioner of health
 or the commissioner of corrections and  community  supervision  for  the
 purposes of this study.
   2.  Upon  completion  of the study required by subdivision one of this
 section, the commissioner of health, or  such  commissioner's  designee,
 shall  prepare  a report to be given to the governor and the legislature
 which shall include the findings of such study.  Such  report  shall  be
 filed  within  one  year  of  the effective date of this act, unless the
 commissioner of health requests in writing, an extension of time.
   3. All other departments or agencies  of  the  state  or  subdivisions
 thereof, and local governments shall, at the request of the commissioner
 of  health or the commissioner of corrections and community supervision,
 provide expertise, assistance, and data that will  enable  such  commis-
 sioner to carry out such commissioner's powers and duties.
   §  8.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 section five of this act shall take effect on the one hundred  eightieth
 day  after it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately, the addi-
 tion, 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.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S7108

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Women's Issues Committee

co-Sponsors

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7108

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Lea Webb

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Women's Issues Committee

co-Sponsors

Jacob Ashby

Julia Salazar

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7108 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments