NEW YORK — Today, legislation introduced by Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell requiring insurance companies to cover pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) again passed in the New York State Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support. First introduced in the 2018 legislative session, A807 addresses access to HIV prevention medication and is aimed at protecting at-risk New Yorkers.As of 2019, nearly 118,000 New Yorkers are living with HIV.

Assembly Member O’Donnell said: “The passage of today’s bill brings us one step closer to ending the AIDS epidemic. PEP and PrEP are proven solutions to reduce the spread of HIV, and no one should be denied access to these valuable medications due to cost or coverage.

If signed into law, this bill will expand protections for the LGBTQIA community and signify that New York treats access to proper, affordable medical treatment as a human right. The science shows that PEP and PrEP treatments are effective and readily available; our next step is lowering the barriers to access so they get in the hands of more people who need it.

New York is a national leader in the fight for LGBTQIA rights. I am thrilled that this piece of legislation follows recent LGBTQ victories, including the passage of my gender-neutral bathroom bill last year, in achieving unanimous consent in the Assembly, affirming that the fight for safety and dignity for all is not a partisan issue.

I want to express gratitude to all of my Assembly colleagues who voted in favor of this bill. I look forward to working with Senator Brad Hoylman and his colleagues to push this through the Senate and get this signed into law."