File #: Int 0458-2022    Version: Name: Supporting language access through a needs assessment examining language access services used by abortion providers and clients, and related recommendations
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted
Committee: Committee on Women and Gender Equity
On agenda: 6/2/2022
Enactment date: 10/15/2022 Law number: 2022/093
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to supporting language access through a needs assessment examining language access services used by abortion providers and clients, and related recommendations
Sponsors: Adrienne E. Adams, Farah N. Louis, Crystal Hudson, Justin L. Brannan, Shahana K. Hanif, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Gale A. Brewer, Rita C. Joseph, Sandy Nurse, Sandra Ung, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Shaun Abreu, Lincoln Restler, Julie Won, Erik D. Bottcher, Alexa Avilés, Tiffany Cabán, Amanda Farías, Chi A. Ossé, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Eric Dinowitz, Mercedes Narcisse, Christopher Marte, Shekar Krishnan, Diana I. Ayala, Nantasha M. Williams, Carlina Rivera , Keith Powers , Julie Menin, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Kevin C. Riley, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Council Member Sponsors: 32
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to create and maintain information and resources – available in all designated citywide languages – for a potential patient of an abortion provider, such as information outlining methods used to provide an abortion, attendant health risks, and recovery from an abortion. Additionally, this bill would require DOHMH to conduct a language access service needs assessment, which would survey abortion providers in the City to assess the availability of language access services for abortion, the demand for such services, any funding available, preferred methods of delivery of language access, and any challenges for implementation. DOHMH would report its findings to the Speaker and the Mayor with recommendations and any role the City can play in assisting abortion providers with language access services, including the feasibility of providing a City grant program.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 458-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 458, 3. Int. No. 458, 4. June 2, 2022 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 6-2-22, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - June 2, 2022, 7. Committee Report 7/1/22, 8. Hearing Testimony 7/1/22, 9. Hearing Transcript 7/1/22, 10. Proposed Int. No. 458-A - 9/8/22, 11. Committee Report 9/14/22, 12. Hearing Transcript 9/14/22, 13. September 14, 2022 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 14. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-14-22, 15. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - September 14, 2022, 16. Int. No. 458-A (FINAL), 17. Fiscal Impact Statement, 18. Legislative Documents - Letter to the Mayor, 19. Local Law 93
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
10/15/2022AAdrienne E. Adams Administration City Charter Rule Adopted  Action details Meeting details Not available
10/14/2022AAdrienne E. Adams City Council Returned Unsigned by Mayor  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022AAdrienne E. Adams City Council Sent to Mayor by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022AAdrienne E. Adams City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022*Adrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022*Adrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022*Adrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/14/2022AAdrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
7/1/2022*Adrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
7/1/2022*Adrienne E. Adams Committee on Women and Gender Equity Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/2/2022*Adrienne E. Adams City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/2/2022*Adrienne E. Adams City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 458-A

 

By The Speaker (Council Member Adams) and Council Members Louis, Hudson, Brannan, Hanif, Brooks-Powers, Brewer, Joseph, Nurse, Ung, Gutiérrez, Abreu, Restler, Won, Bottcher, Avilés, Cabán, Farías, Ossé, De La Rosa, Dinowitz, Narcisse, Marte, Krishnan, Ayala, Williams, Rivera, Powers, Menin, Sanchez, Riley and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to supporting language access through a needs assessment examining language access services used by abortion providers and clients, and related recommendations

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

            Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-174.1 to read as follows:

§ 17-174.1 a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Abortion. The term “abortion” means (i) a procedure to terminate a pregnancy for purposes other than producing a live birth, including, but not limited to, a termination using pharmacological agents, and (ii) any services related to such procedure, including, but not limited to, any counseling before and after such procedure.

Abortion provider. The term “abortion provider” means a person who provides abortion procedures in accordance with New York state law, including, but not limited to, a hospital or a licensed medical provider.

Designated citywide languages. The term “designated citywide languages” has the same meaning as such term is defined in section 23-1101.

Healthcare provider. The term “healthcare provider” means a person who provides healthcare procedures in the city in accordance with New York state law, including, but not limited to, a hospital or a licensed medical provider.

Language access services. The term “language access services” means services provided in order to convey information to, or facilitate communication with, an individual whose preferred language is not English, and may include, but need not be limited to, interpretation services, translation services or communication by a person who is fluent in both English and the non-English speaker’s preferred language.

b. Online abortion resource. No later than March 1, 2023, the department shall post on its website, and update as appropriate, information and resources for a potential patient of an abortion provider, which shall include, but need not be limited to, information outlining methods used to provide an abortion, attendant health risks and recovery from an abortion. Such information and resources shall be translated into the designated citywide languages.

c. Language access services needs assessment. No later than July 1, 2023, the department shall survey abortion providers in the city to assess the availability of language access services for abortion and the demand for such services. Such needs assessment shall include, but need not be limited to, a survey of:

1. Language access services used in connection with providing abortions;

2. Preferred methods for delivery of language access services used in connection with providing abortions;

3. Public and private funding for language access services used in connection with providing abortions; and

4. Implementation challenges with language access services used in connection with providing abortions.

d. Language access services needs report. No later than 30 days after completion of the needs assessment required by subdivision c of this section, the department shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council with recommendations resulting from such needs assessment and shall post such report on its website. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

1. A summary of the findings of such needs assessment;

2. Recommendations for language access services based on such findings;

3. In consultation with the mayor’s office of immigrant affairs, recommended best practices for language access services and for identifying providers of language access services; and

4. An assessment of actions the city could take to assist abortion providers with access to language access services, including, but not limited to, the practicability of providing grants to abortion providers to assist in such access, and methods of connecting abortion providers with healthcare providers that have implemented language access services.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

 

 

 

 

NLB/BM

LS #9137

 9/6/22 7:30pm