§ 2599-BB-1 — Reproductive freedom and equity grant program

§ 2599-bb-1. Reproductive freedom and equity grant program. 1. As used\nin this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:\n (a) "Abortion" shall mean the termination of pregnancy pursuant to\nsection twenty-five hundred ninety-nine-bb of this article.\n (b) "Health care services" shall mean the range of care related to the\nprovision of abortion.\n (c) "Program" shall mean the reproductive freedom and equity grant\nprogram established pursuant to subdivision two of this section.\n 2. There is hereby established in the department a reproductive\nfreedom and equity grant program to ensure access to abortion care in\nthe state. The program shall provide funding to abortion providers and\nnon-profit organizations that provide or facilitate access to abortion\ncare. The program shall be designed to provide support to abortion\nproviders and non-profit organizations to increase access to care, fund\nuncompensated care, and to address the support needs of individuals\naccessing abortion care. Funding used to support the program shall be\nsubject to appropriation.\n 3. The commissioner shall distribute funds made available for\nexpenditure under this section. In determining funding for applicants\nunder the grant program, the commissioner shall consider the following\ncriteria and goals:\n (a) Increase access to care by growing the capacity of abortion\nproviders to meet present and future care needs. Funds may be awarded to\nsupport the recruitment, hiring, and retention of clinical and medical\nstaff, costs of increasing the number of hours, days, and/or alternate\ntimes for currently employed clinical staff to provide increased access,\ncare management and navigation, staff training, outreach and marketing\ncosts, and other operational needs that increase access to abortion\ncare.\n (b) Fund uncompensated health care services associated with abortion\ncare, to ensure the affordability of and access to care for individuals\nwho lack ability to pay for care, for individuals who lack insurance\ncoverage, are underinsured, or whose insurance is deemed unusable by the\nrendering provider.\n 4. In establishing and operating the program, the commissioner may\nconsult a range of experts including but not limited to individuals and\nentities providing abortion care, abortion funds and other organizations\nwhose mission is to expand access to abortion care, to ensure the\nprogram structure and expenditures reflect the needs of abortion\nproviders, abortion funds and consumers. The commissioner may make\nregulations necessary for implementing the program.\n 5. The department and any non-profit organization or abortion provider\nreceiving funds from the program shall take all necessary steps to\nensure the confidentiality of the individuals receiving services\npursuant to state and federal laws. The commissioner may request\naggregate, de-identified information about how funding allocated\npursuant to the program is spent, provided that no information which,\nalone or in combination, would permit a patient, provider, or an\nindividual who sought, received, provided, or supported health care\nservices under the program to be identified may be requested or shared.\n