Directs the department of health to create an informational pamphlet concerning intrauterine devices; requires such informational pamphlet to be available on the department of health's website; requires practitioners to distribute such informational pamphlet to patients seeking contraceptives.
Summary
S09076 would require the New York State Department of Health to create an informational pamphlet for people considering intrauterine devices (IUDs). The pamphlet must explain the types of IUDs available, how they are used for pregnancy prevention and for managing certain medical conditions, their differences, potential risks and side effects, the insertion and removal process, pain management options, recovery after insertion, effectiveness, and alternative contraceptive methods if an IUD is not appropriate.
The bill also requires the pamphlet to be written in layperson’s language and made available in English and the six most common non-English languages used by individuals with limited English proficiency in New York, based on the most recent census. The Department of Health must post the pamphlet on its website as a printable file and may also offer printed copies. Health care practitioners, as defined by the Education Law, would be required to distribute the pamphlet to patients seeking contraceptives or discussing contraceptive methods.
Impact
This bill would add a new section 267-c to the Public Health Law, creating a statewide informational requirement tied to reproductive health counseling and contraceptive care. It would impose a new administrative duty on the Department of Health to develop and maintain multilingual patient education materials and would create a corresponding distribution obligation for licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized practitioners acting within their scope of practice. The measure would affect patient education practices in clinics, physician offices, and other settings where contraceptive counseling occurs, while not changing eligibility for or access to IUDs themselves.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong bipartisan or at least broad legislative support for the bill. It passed the Senate Women's Issues Committee unanimously, 7-0, and later passed the Senate floor unanimously, 59-0. No committee transcript is provided, but the unanimous votes indicate the bill was viewed favorably as a public health and consumer-information measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of direct opposition in the available record, since both recorded votes were unanimous and no transcript comments are included. Any potential points of contention would likely center on the added compliance burden for practitioners, the administrative work required of the Department of Health, and whether the mandated pamphlet should include sufficiently detailed information about pain, risks, and alternatives. The bill’s focus on reproductive health and contraceptive counseling could also draw policy debate in other contexts, but no such dispute is reflected in the provided materials.