Each of the above-referenced bills would mandate that every university in the State University of New York (SUNY) system provide students with access to abortifacients. Specifically, the bills would require all public universities in New York to (a) make abortion-inducing pills available to students; or (b) refer students to local providers authorized to provide such drugs.
These bills are completely silent about the many negative health consequences that are caused by abortion-inducing pills.[1] The bills are also silent about whether student health centers at SUNY schools are prepared to provide medical services to women who experience complications following pill abortions.
Mandating that public colleges and universities provide abortion-inducing pills could encourage sexual risk-taking and the abandonment of barrier methods of contraception on public college and university campuses. At least one study has shown that increased availability of abortion-inducing pills is connected to an increase in the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases.[2]
Because the health and safety of New York’s students should never be subordinated to any political agenda or a well-funded special interest, none of these reckless bills should become law.
[1] See https://aul.org/2021/12/17/president-bidens-fda-promotes-abortion-pills-at-the-expense-of-patient-health-and-safety/, last accessed March 1, 2023.
[2] See https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1465-7295.2012.00498.x, last accessed March 1, 2023.