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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation requiring public colleges and universities to provide access to free menstrual products, according to a Monday afternoon press release.

Hochul announced the legislation’s passing alongside several other new laws aiming to address women’s rights, such as a requirement for health insurers to cover costs involved in breast reconstruction surgery. She did so in celebration of Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26, also issuing a proclamation to recognize the national holiday on a state level.

“New York will always be a leader in protecting and expanding women’s rights,” Hochul said in Monday’s release. “As the first woman to serve as Governor of this great state, I will continue to champion women’s equality and reproductive healthcare.”

Hochul’s decision comes amid a rise in efforts across the country to make menstrual products free to access in public places.

The new legislation comes into effect after efforts by Syracuse University’s Student Association in recent years to make menstrual and contraceptive products more easily accessible on campus.

In 2022, SA started the “Menstrual Products Initiative” in an effort to make free menstrual products available in all public bathrooms on campus. Earlier this year, the association discussed adding emergency contraceptive vending machines in the Barnes Center at The Arch, inspired by a similar SUNY Upstate Medical University project earlier that year.

In early March, SA leaders confirmed they were actively discussing the potential of introducing emergency contraceptive product machines with the Barnes Center, though the center was “resistant” — citing concerns about restocking the vended items and monitoring expiration dates.

Though the association did not take further public action on the proposal, former Vice President Yasmin Nayrouz said that there was “still a possibility” of moving forward with the initiative.

“This announcement from Governor Hochul sets a great precedent for not only universities in New York but for legislators in states across the country,” current SA President German Nolivos wrote in a statement sent to The Daily Orange. “Even though this legislation does not apply to SU due to us being a private university, this is a great call to action for our own administration to pick up a similar initiative.”

In the statement, Nolivos said SA is proud that Hochul, who served as the association’s executive vice president during her time attending SU, was the individual to sign this “important step forward” for women’s equality into law.

While SU is not legally obligated to conform to the new legislation as a private university, its neighboring school, SUNY-ESF, will be required to make the changes. The legislation does not include a specific deadline for which the state expects public institutions to introduce free menstrual products.

In the Women’s Equality Day proclamation, Hochul also made several references to New York’s leadership and its efforts to support women’s equality movements. She described New York state as a “stronghold of women’s rights and a leader in addressing issues that impact women socially, economically, and politically.”

Hochul’s proclamation also highlighted the 2022 Supreme Court decision that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which ended federal protections for abortion rights in the United States.

State Senator Michelle Hinchey, a proponent for the new legislation, worked with Hochul to provide healthcare for women in the wake of the Supreme Court decision. In Jan. 2024, Hinchey’s Hospital Transparency Act passed in the New York State Senate, requiring hospitals to be more transparent about available reproductive care options. This act laid the foundation for future projects combating “healthcare deserts,” where reproductive aid is not available.

“This legislation is a huge step forward in our fight to end period poverty, reduce financial stress and stigma often surrounding menstruation, and bring us closer to true equity and dignity for people who menstruate,” Hinchey said in Monday’s release.

The final legislation included in Monday’s announcement was a law requiring health insurers to provide coverage for costs required for breast reconstructions.

Many recovering breast cancer survivors are forced to pay out of pocket for reconstructive surgeries when health insurance companies refuse to cover them, citing it as a “cosmetic” need, Assemblymember Amy Paulin said.

“This isn’t about cosmetics, it’s about helping survivors feel complete again after a physically and emotionally challenging experience,” Paulin said.

The new regulations will go into effect immediately, the initial bill reads. It will apply to all public institutions across the state, including all schools in the SUNY and CUNY system.

Published on August 27, 2024 at 12:52 am

Contact Duncan: digreen@syr.edu