Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that he helped pass a women’s health rights legislative package.

“Women’s rights are human rights, and this legislative package clearly demonstrates the Assembly’s continued commitment to ensuring women have control over their bodies,” Stirpe said. “New York State must continue to fight for full women’s equality.”

One piece of legislation protects employees from being discriminated against by their employers for their medical decisions (A.566-A). The bill also keeps employers from accessing private medical information about their employees without their informed, written consent.

Another measure which Stirpe co-sponsored (A.1748) codifies the federal protections of Roe v. Wade into state law by recognizing the right to safe and legal abortions within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or when the pregnancy is not viable or endangers the woman’s life or health.

Also included in the legislative package is the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act (CCCA), which requires insurers to cover all FDA-approved contraception at no cost to the consumer (A.9957). By ensuring women have access to contraceptives, the CCCA would reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, improve birth outcomes and improve New Yorkers’ health and financial security, Stirpe noted.

Currently, the New York State Constitution protects against discrimination based on race, color, creed or religion. To further protect women and help make full women’s equality a reality, Stirpe helped pass an amendment to the state constitution to guarantee equal protection to persons on the basis of sex. (A.7990-A). The measure must pass the Assembly a second time before appearing on the ballot as a voter referendum.

“It’s unfathomable that we are still fighting for women’s basic rights in 2018,” said Stirpe. “Gender discrimination has no place in New York State and, with this amendment; we can ensure that our state constitution reflects that.”