Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate Women's Issues Committee reports five bills for further review
Summary
At its May 20 meeting, the Senate Women's Issues Committee voted to report five bills—on menstrual products, doula programs, doula insurance coverage, an IUD informational pamphlet and interhospital transport coverage for birthing parents—to the finance committee or first reading for further consideration.
The Senate Women's Issues Committee on May 20 voted to move five bills forward for additional review, referring four to the finance committee and reporting one to first reading.
The measures include S.4692, a Public Health Law change to require free menstrual products in restrooms at private colleges and universities; S.5665, establishing a doula awareness and education program under Public Health Law; S.6494, an Insurance Law change to require health plans to cover doula services as maternity-care-required coverage; S.77148, directing the Department of Health to create an informational pamphlet about intrauterine devices; and S.7731, an Insurance Law amendment to require coverage for hospital-to-hospital transport for birthing parents accompanying infants who need such transfers.
The clerk read each bill into the record. Motions to report or refer were made and seconded for each bill. For S.4692 (free menstrual products), a motion was made by "senators Carcelo Benton" and recorded as seconded; the committee voice vote was "Aye," with Senator Wike recorded as "without rec." The transcript shows each bill received a motion and a second and was moved forward: S.4692, S.5665, S.77148 and S.7731 were reported to the finance committee; S.6494 was reported to first reading. Specific numeric vote tallies were not read into the record in the transcript provided.
Committee Chair Senator Leah Webb opened the meeting and presided over the motions and voice votes. Several members were recorded as casting "Aye," and several members were recorded as "without rec" (without recommendation) on individual bills; the transcript does not list a complete roll-call tally for any item.
The actions move these measures to the next steps of the legislative process, where the finance committee or first-reading procedures will consider fiscal impacts and further debate.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in committee): - S.4692 (sponsor: Senator Clear) — Public Health Law: require free menstrual products in private college/university restrooms. Motion made by "senators Carcelo Benton." Outcome: reported to finance. Recorded: voice "Aye;" Senator Wike noted as "without rec." - S.5665 (sponsor: Senator Clear) — Public Health Law: establish doula awareness and education program. Motion made by Senator Darcellus Banton; second by Senator White. Outcome: reported to finance. - S.6494 (sponsor: Senator Clear) — Insurance Law: require coverage for doula services as maternity care. Motion made by Senator Jessica Scarcello Spanton; outcome: reported to first reading. Senator White recorded as "without rec." - S.77148 (sponsor: Senator Gonzales) — Public Health Law: direct Department of Health to create IUD informational pamphlet. Motion made by "senators Carcelle Spence"; outcome: reported to finance. - S.7731 (sponsor: Senator Leah Webb) — Insurance Law: require coverage for birthing-parent interhospital transport to accompany infants needing transport. Motion made by "senator Scott Silas fan"; outcome: reported to finance. Senator Wike recorded as "without rec."
The committee record in the transcript does not provide detailed roll-call vote tallies for any bill; outcomes below reflect the committee's procedural referrals as stated on the record.
