Advocates for Youth applauds the New York Assembly and New York State Senate for passing legislation that would help ensure students on college campuses have access to abortion. The bill would require SUNY and CUNY campuses to provide access to medication abortion. 

College students led efforts to pass the bill. In 2022, Barnard College agreed to offer medication on campus after lengthy student activist efforts.  New York’s youth-led Reproductive Justice Collective spearheaded the initiative for a state-wide bill. 

“Students worked incredibly hard for this victory for over three years,” said Niharika Rao, New York Campus Co-Coordinator for Abortion Access with Advocates for Youth and lead organizer with Reproductive Justice Collective.  “I’m proud that New York is moving closer to reproductive justice and to abortion access for all.”

Medication abortion usually consists of two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol; or, misoprostol alone can be used. Currently, the Supreme Court is considering a ruling to suspend mifepristone’s approval, but regardless of mifepristone’s future, providers can make the misoprostol-only option available.

“We’re watching a court process where a few anti-abortion judges are trying to take away access to mifepristone for the whole country,” said Tamara Marzouk, Director of Abortion Access. “It’s so heartening to see positive, pro-active steps to increase access rather than take it away.  New York joins California and Massachusetts in expanding access to medication abortion on state college and university campuses, and we hope many other state legislatures will follow their example.”

Governor Kathy Hochul, who recently announced an effort to expand medication abortion access for all New Yorkers, is expected to sign the bill.

“Young people have the right to the abortion care we need when we need it,” said Niharika Rao.  “We won’t let abortion access disappear. Expanding medication abortion access is a huge step in fighting back and keeping abortion accessible.”